SOC 2080 Lecture 22: Terrorism and Constructions of Evil (Part Two)
2 Apr 2017
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Document Summary
How we talk about a problem matters; talking about a problem in a particular way typically leads to a particular solution. The kinds of words we use when we speak about terrorism reflect a sense of hostility, and they also reflect a bunker mentality (we are hunkering down, we are becoming more protectionist, etc. ) It could be argued that the way we talk about terrorism is actually having a number of negative effects; namely, it undermines clear-headed dialogue: terrorism as war : When we talk about the war on terror , we are suggesting that we will respond with all-out mobilization and sacrifice. It implies that there is a recognizable enemy that must be defeated. It implies that we will monitor borders and be suspicious. When we talk about terrorism like this, it should be no surprise that citizens talk of closed borders and use stereotypes.
