Essay on Defining and Conceptualizing the Phenomenon of Terrorism

This essay undertakes a critical examination of the challenges inherent in defining and conceptualizing terrorism. It begins by acknowledging the difficulties in achieving a universally accepted definition, highlighting the varying perspectives and approaches. The essay explores two primary approaches: the actor-centered approach, which focuses on the communication processes and the intended psychological impact on victims, and the behavioral approach, which emphasizes observable actions and political motivations. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach are analyzed, including their implications for understanding the complexities of terrorism, the challenges of distinguishing between combatants and non-combatants, and the limitations in accounting for the psychological dimensions of terrorism. The essay concludes by emphasizing the multifaceted nature of terrorism and the ongoing debate surrounding its conceptualization.

The Challenges of Conceptualizing Terrorism
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Introduction:
Arriving at a consensual definition of the phenomenon of terrorism has been a particularly
difficult undertaking. Some definitions are either too specific or too vague, concentrating on
some essential “terrorist” aspect of the actions, strategies, or types of non-state organizations
that engage in terrorism. This reading includes arguments related to terrorism; while there
have been many effective readings to analysis the striving for the universally accepted
definition of terrorism. This essay will include the essence of terrorism dependent on the
intent of generating psychological assumptions and impact related to victims. This reading
will reveal that terrorism is the best-conceptualised matter in the name of political violence
and rather defined as inherent based on particular ideology and methodology, & many times
the non-civilians and combatants sometimes become of victims of terrorism. So this essay
will outline the conceptualised assumptions as a debate on terrorism.
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The Challenges of Conceptualizing Terrorism
Few terms and courses are opposite in contemporary political elements and it is proved that
terrorism is hard to define. Although few writers have defined terrorism in the following
words; Terrorism can be taken as an anxiety-inspiring methodology in the repetition of
violent action. It is employed by a clandestine individual, particular person or group and for
criminal or political reason. In the violence of terrorism, the humans are not directly and
targeted, the immediate human victims are randomly selected out of the total population
(Cohen and Taylor, 2018)
Actor-centred Approach:
This approach is based on communication processes between a terrorist in the name of the
organisation and imperilled taken as victims. In these cases, the major targets become
audience that turns into a target of terror, demands and targets of expectations. The major
questions emerge is that whether the country and the country of origin generate differences in
the terms of definition. From middle age, it is observed that the element "fear" has been
taken as a synonym of terrorism. On the other hand, in Western Europe and northern
America, all writers have used the different definition to define and debate over terrorism.
The major criterion to evaluate the definition of terrorism, there are no specific standards to
advocate and authorities and challenges with a common understanding of word Terrorism (Ii,
2016).
Strength of Actor-centred approach:
In terms of academia, It is very strong resemblance to create a straight way for law agencies,
different bureau of investigation who knows the social and political objectives of terrorism
segmentation. This approach allows us to define a two-dimensional space of possible forms
of collective violence, in which different variants of terrorism occupy an important, yet
under-researched region. I propose that this definition of terrorism is advantageous because it
is neutral as to issues of motivation, grievances, and the historically specific standards of
moral valuation of terrorist violence, In the academic discourse, it is not allowed to discuss
study political driven and actions related to internal mental conditions. The condition of
facing terrorism includes no distinction in a way of discriminating between terrorism
(Freilich, and LaFree, 2016).
Weakness of Actor-centred Approach:
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This approach is not able to identify the way of arguing against essentialist definitions of
terrorism. The major and effective impact is cost and achievement among academic
observation of terrorism and as a consequence, there is no seems to be discrimination and
distinction between combatants and non-combatants taken as targets of violence the label of
terrorism is taken as a wide range of violent activities (Harrison, 2016). On the other hand, in
Western Europe and northern America, all writers have used the different definition to define
and debate over terrorism.
Behavioural Approach:
Is the consensus definition helpful to those who wish to study terrorism? By ignoring the
psychological element, by, in effect, taking the terror out of terrorism, the definition
facilitates observation of the phenomenon. Through this approach, it is easier to study
politically driven actions than internal mental conditions. But, of course, the consensus
definition suffers from a serious flaw. It is rapidly admitted for the engagement of
speculation, but based on an accounting period at what the study was to be conducted might
be relevant to people and writer understandings (Perliger, et. al., 2016). In 1985, then
Schmid's survey was organised to know the respondent's reactions related to terrorism
activities and administration and operations. In the Schmid's survey, the questionnaire can be
obtained for the understanding & observing has labelled as terrorism taken as wave eye.
Strength of Behavioural Approach:
It is employed by a clandestine individual, particular person or group and for criminal or
political reason. Threat-violence is based on communication processes between a terrorist in
the name of the organisation and imperilled taken as victims. The condition of facing
terrorism includes no distinction in a way of discriminating between terrorism. The major and
effective cost and achievement among academic observation of terrorism and as a
consequence, there is no seem to be discrimination and distinction between combatants and
non-combatants taken as targets of violence the label of terrorism is taken as a wide range of
violent activities (Aven and Guikema, 2015).
Weakness of Behavioural approach:
It is explained where terrorism stops political violence begins. It is rapidly admitted for the
engagement of speculation, but based on an accounting period at what the study was to be
conducted might be relevant to people and writer understandings. In the violence of
terrorism, humans are not directly and targeted, the immediate human victims are randomly
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selected out of the total population (Sanchez, 2018). Section four introduces a new typology
of actors and violent interaction in the interstate system, which includes terrorism in the same
framework as civil wars, ethnic conflict and global warfare. This approach is not able to
rectify and target civil and ethnic human right against study of terrorism. By the perspective
of organisational unconventional weapons and by the contrasting scenario to its processor,
the new terrorists are attempting to inflict mass communities and kill numbers of innocent to
attempt and use unconventional swords and weapons to get the end. (Young, 2019).
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Conclusion:
The overall analysis began by exploring different reasons and assumptions related to the
concept of terrorism. Across the world, the concept of terrorism has been evaded widely. This
reading explained that terrorism is the study of conflict where the victim seems to suffer from
border problems. It is explained where terrorism stops political violence begins. This reading
revealed that terrorism is the best-conceptualised matter in the name of political violence and
rather defined as inherent based on particular ideology and methodology, & many times the
non-civilians and combatants sometimes become of victims of terrorism. This reading
revealed that terrorism is the best-conceptualised matter in the name of political violence and
rather defined as inherent based on particular ideology and methodology, & many times the
non-civilians and combatants sometimes become of victims of terrorism.
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References
Aven, T. and Guikema, S., 2015. On the concept and definition of terrorism risk. Risk
analysis, 35(12), pp.2162-2171.
Cohen, G. and Taylor, R.W., 2018. Understanding Terrorism in the Modern
Era. Transnational Crime and Global Security [2 volumes], 281.
Freilich, J.D. and LaFree, G., 2016. Measurement issues in the study of terrorism:
Introducing the special issue.
Harrison, T., 2016. Book Review of Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and
Issues. International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences, 11(2), p.187.
Ii, J.H.C., 2016. The state and terrorism: national security and the mobilization of power.
Routledge.
Perliger, A., Koehler-Derrick, G. and Pedahzur, A., 2016. The gap between participation and
violence: Why we need to disaggregate terrorist ‘profiles’. International Studies
Quarterly, 60(2), pp.220-229.
Sanchez, G., 2018. An Exploration of the Evolution of the Role of the Internet in
Terrorism (Doctoral dissertation, Utica College).
Young, J.K., 2019. Measuring terrorism. Terrorism and Political Violence, 31(2), pp.323-
345.
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