Terrorism: Definition, Criteria, and Impact on Society

This article explores the definition, criteria, and impact of terrorism on society. It discusses how the term 'terrorism' is politically charged and how governments have been hesitant to define it. The article also highlights how words are used to dehumanize opponents in war and establish them as 'enemies' so that they can be easily killed, which is a form of terrorism. The author establishes a connection between the attack on Hiroshima and terrorism. The article concludes by discussing the increased threat of terrorism in modern times and how it poses a threat to both domestic and international security.

Running Head: TERRORIST
Terrorist
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
There exists no universal concession to the meaning of terrorism. Various lawful
frameworks and government organizations utilize distinctive definitions (Krueger, 3). In
addition, governments have been hesitant to figure a settled upon and legitimately restrictive
definition. These challenges emerge from the fact that this particular term is politically and
sincerely charged (Krueger, 3). The term ‘terrorist’ is usually utilized to refer to a person who
takes resort to violent activities in order to frighten the mass of a chosen area, as a means of
trying to attain a political goal (Ganor, 289). Terrorism is referred to as the unlawful
utilization or posing a threat of violence, specially against the common people or the
governing body of a nation, as a politically stimulated mode of attack or oppression (Combs,
15).
Discussion
Terrorism incorporates the following: it is the utilization of savagery or danger of
viciousness in the quest for political, ideological, religious or social destinations, it might be
submitted by governing bodies, non-state characters, or covert work force serving for the
sake of their particular governments, its effect stretches further than the immediate casualties
and is additionally aimed at targets comprising of a bigger range of society (Combs, 15).
Terrorism is referred to as both ‘mala prohibita’ or wrongdoing that is declared illicit by the
decree and ‘mala in se’ or wrongdoing that is intrinsically decadent or erroneous (Jongman,
64).
The accompanying criteria of brutality or threat of savagery fall outside of the
conventional meaning of terrorism: wartime or peacetime demonstrations of brutality
committed by a country state against another country state, paying little heed to lawfulness or

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wrongdoing that are executed by legitimately and formally equipped forces or lawful soldiers
of such country states. Sensible demonstrations of self-preservation, for example, the
utilization of power to kill, capture, or rebuff criminals, who pose a danger to the lives of
people or property, are also exempted from the domain of terrorism. Reasonable focuses in
war, for example, on enemy warriors and strategic framework that are basic pieces of the
adversary's war exertion, are further exempted from being considered acts of terrorism.
Collateral mutilation, including the punishment of coincidental harm to non-soldier targets,
amid an assault on or endeavoring to assault real targets in war are not considered acts of
terrorism.
The month of august of the year 1945, witnessed two consecutive bombardments on
Japan; one was over Hiroshima and other one in Nagasaki (Majumdar, 4). This left countless
individuals dead. In the essay ‘Hiroshima’ by John Berger, he expresses that, what has been
done ought to never be overlooked (Berger, 318). John Berger was involved with the armed
forces in Belfast when the besieging took place. The entire written work had a dismal and
infuriated tone throughout its length. The author is still visibly frantic about what had
occurred in Japan. He has clear recollections of the day it happened and when he goes
through all the artworks from survivors of how they recollect the day, he equates them with
pandemonium on Earth. I concur that what occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was
genuinely an awe-inspiring occasion that happened.
Berger appeals to ensure that this terrible occasion is always remembered. He urges
individuals to remember it as a demonstration of abhorrent and unadulterated act of terrorism
(Berger, 318). The stated event was a pre-planned assault on a city of innocent individuals
and Berger needs to ensure everybody realizes that. The author desires the youngsters in
school to learn about the dates and the stories of what happened and he needs the learning to
possess some significance, it should not merely remain a lesson that is imparted in history

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class. The author composed this essay to summon emotions out of his readers and it has been
exceptionally effective in accomplishing his desire. Accounts of survivors, together with the
works of art that was created by survivors, plays its part at inspiring feeling for the affected
people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Berger, 318). When one reads those records and glances
at those pictures, the heart breaks for the ones who were compelled to endure such
devastating situations.
In modern times, a person who is usually a member of an anti-social faction or who
utilizes or advocates terrorism or purposefully frightens others by resorting to immoral means
is known as a terrorist. A terrorist might be a member of any political faction, endeavoring to
devaluate any of the governing body by means of terror (Kellner, 26). The person attributed
as terrorist is further likely to be an agent or supporter of a radical tribunal, aiming at
prevailing a reign of dread. Over certain past years, the environment pertaining to threat of
terrorists and its allies has developed into something more perilous and complex, posing
threat to both domestic and international security (Chomsky, 223). The threats from radical
terrorist factions have increased manifold in recent times with the massive shift in the sphere
of politics, security, media, social media and other advancements in technology (Nacos, 175).
Therefore, present authorities have enough reason to be concerned these days.
In Robin Tolmach Lakoff's article, "From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of
Words in Wartime”, it has been discussed how bunches who battle in wars name their
opponents as "the enemy", "it", and "targets" (Lakoff, 378). This particular essay makes one
doubt, if the way one utilizes words changes impression of the general population residing in
this world, as to which Lakoff answers yes (Muller, 115). Towards the initiation of the article
Lakoff says that individual humans are social creatures, hereditarily structured to feel
empathy toward others (Ganor, 289). The vast majority, under ordinary conditions, think that
its exceptionally hard to assassinate. The article is intriguing on the grounds that the author is

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talking about the subject of war and there are mass killings that take place there. The piece
additionally states that shots and bombs are not by any means the only apparatuses of war;
words, as well, have their impact. The words they use to name the population against which
the soldiers are battling, are intended to dehumanize them, and deceiving fighters to feel that
the oppositions are not fellow human beings, that they themselves are better, and that as it
were the foe is some sort of a creature. Implementation of such words make it easy for
warriors to kill. Lakoff appears to make the contention that what people are doing by
dehumanizing individuals with a specific end goal to execute them isn't the manner by which
people ought to be dealt with and is a form of psychological terrorism. Certain people may
imagine that utilizing words that dehumanize individuals, even one’s adversary, is useful,
Lakoff contends that it is not. It is likely to give rise to sxeveral issues, and on the off chance
that this process of dehumanizing proceeds, it will be capable of placing all people against
each other and consequently humankind will be lost.
Conclusion
In present day society, the term ‘terrorism’ is used to describe certain politically
charged, organized anti-social activities, aimed at securing societal dysfunction. Robin
Tolmach Lakoff highlights how in a war frontier words are utilized to dehumanize and
establish the opponent soldiers as ‘enemies’ so that they can be easily killed; this practice too
is a form of terrorism. John Berger is among very few people of notable authority, who
establishes a connection between the attack on Hiroshima and terrorism. The above-
mentioned author’s argument appears to be flawless while establishing the fact of terrorist
attack. World War I will perpetually be a theme of pity and discussion. It is really awful, the
end result, for every one of those innocent individuals who came in the bomb's way. Berger

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composed an exceptionally passionate article that depicts the American military as fear based
oppressors, on account of what they did.

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References
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Chomsky, Noam. Pirates and emperors, old and new: International terrorism in the real
world. Haymarket Books, 2015.
Combs, Cynthia C. Terrorism in the twenty-first century. Routledge, 2017.
Ganor, Boaz. "Defining terrorism: Is one man's terrorist another man's freedom
fighter?." Police Practice and Research 3.4 (2002): 287-304.
Jongman, Albert J. Political terrorism: A new guide to actors, authors, concepts, data bases,
theories, and literature. Routledge, 2017.
Kellner, Douglas. Media spectacle and the crisis of democracy: Terrorism, war, and election
battles. Routledge, 2015.
Krueger, Alan B. What Makes a Terrorist. PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRES, 2017.
Lakoff, Robin. "From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of Words in Wartime." New
York (2004).
Majumdar, Ananda. "Weapons of Mass Destruction." ABC Research Alert 5.1 (2017).
Muller, Gilbert H. The New World Reader. Cengage Learning, 2016.
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