Sociology 3363F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Al-Qaeda, Industrial Revolution, Counter-Terrorism
24 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Terrorism – First Impressions
Al-Qaida
- Created by Osman and succeeded by Ayman al-Zawhiri
- Principles that frame their Ideologies
o Hol a is a dut of oes soul ad defence of Muslim nation
o Two distinct sides → Muslim vs. the evil west
o No peace with the west and violence is the defensive for Islam
o Theologial ad legal estitios o the use of foe Muslis dot appl
o Economy is the target because it is relied on by the US
o Islamic governments that cooperate with the West and do not adopt strict
Islamic law need to be overthrown
o Israel is an illegit nation and must be destroyed
- War on terror is both conflict against Al-Queida and entrenched belief systems
- Modern ear definition of Terror
o The ability to terrorize – ist liited to the specific locales/regions where the
terrorist strike
o Age of media broadcasts terror into homes
o Terror understand the impact of the images and use them as their weapon
Sept 11: New Era
- Started using weapons of mass destructions, digital weapons online and recruiting
though olie to a out ass ausalit attaks agaist soft tagets
- Used asetial ethods
An Overview of Extremism and Terrorism
- Extremism is a ualit that is adial i opiio, espeiall i politial attes; ulta;
advaned
o Characterized by intolerance for terrorist behaviour
o Those who become terrorist display noble arguments to rationalize their acts of
violence directed against the enemy
o Eteis is a adial epessio of oes politial alues
▪ Focuses on content of beliefs and expression of beliefs
o Definitional issue looks at which beliefs are acted in and looking at style and
content
o Precursor to terrorism – once they act on the beliefs – then it turns into terrorist
- Terrorism
o Politically motivated
o Directed agaist soft tagets ad ith the itetio to affet a taget audiee
o Criminal and unfair
Terrorism at First Glance
- Terrorism is mainly a conflict between adversaries who are waging a self-described war
on terrorism and the other side is waging a self-described hold war in defence
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
- Concepts of terror hold true regardless on time and history:
o Those who practice revolutionary violence and state repression champion noble
cause and value
o Polices that advocate extreme violence always cite righteous goals to justify their
behavior and such as the need to defend a religious faith or defend rights of
people
o The perps of violent acts uniformly maintain that they are freedom fighters or
champs of law and order
Sources of Extremism and Terrorism
- Causes have been debated through different disciplines
- POLITICAL VIOLENCE INLCUDING TERRORISM HAS SYSTEMIC ORIGINS THAT CAN BE
AMELOIRATED
- Social, economic political frustrations in proxy to personal experiences of terrorism and
contribute to terrorist reservoir
- Terrorism is a group phenomenon by organized groups with a clear identify
- Political terrorism is rooted in intergroup conflict
- Insurgent terrorism (unlike state terrorism) is a strategy of the weak
Concepts and Considerations: Political Violence
- Those who invoke political violence ot refer to themselves as terrorist
- Must question whether their actions are morally justifiable or whether the terror is
inherently wrong
Significance of Symbolism
- Symbolism is a central feature of terrorism
o Is used to rationalize their acts of violence and manipulate to fit any number of
targets into the category of an enemy interest
o Use media to package their meaning and symbols
- Symbolism can create abstract ideological linkages between terrorism and their victims
o For example, 1970s kidnappings of business people in Latin America symbolized
capitalism and exploitation
o Targets against social/political enemies like the IRA attach against Lord Louis
Mountbatten in 1979 and attempt to kill Thatcher in 89
Political Violence: Mala Probitia or Mala in Sec
- Mala Prohibita: ies that ae ade illegal legislatio
o Acts that are declared as wrong
o Not inherently immoral/evil
o Ie gambling, prostitution
- Mala in Se: ioal ies
o Acts cannot be justified
o Ie rape
- Whether an act is an act of freedom or terror depends on which side you sit on
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Created by osman and succeeded by ayman al-zawhiri. Islamic governments that cooperate with the west and do not adopt strict. Israel is an illegit nation and must be destroyed. War on terror is both conflict against al-queida and entrenched belief systems. Started using weapons of mass destructions, digital weapons online and recruiting th(cid:396)ough o(cid:374)li(cid:374)e to (cid:272)a(cid:396)(cid:396)(cid:455) out (cid:373)ass (cid:272)ausalit(cid:455) atta(cid:272)ks agai(cid:374)st (cid:858)soft t(cid:396)agets(cid:859) Terrorism: politically motivated, directed agai(cid:374)st (cid:858)soft ta(cid:396)gets(cid:859) a(cid:374)d (cid:449)ith the i(cid:374)te(cid:374)tio(cid:374) to affe(cid:272)t a ta(cid:396)get audie(cid:374)(cid:272)e, criminal and unfair. Terrorism is mainly a conflict between adversaries who are waging a self-described war on terrorism and the other side is waging a self-described hold war in defence. Causes have been debated through different disciplines. Political violence inlcuding terrorism has systemic origins that can be. Social, economic political frustrations in proxy to personal experiences of terrorism and contribute to terrorist reservoir. Terrorism is a group phenomenon by organized groups with a clear identify.
