Rethinking the roots of terrorism: through the doors of perception
Abstract
This study examines the new terrorism debate and is intended to rethink the
root causes of terrorism by examining alternative approaches, in part provided by
conflict theory, to the predominant understanding of terrorism provided by what it
identifies as orthodox terrorism theory. It presents a critical and discourse analysis
approach to explaining and understanding the roots of terrorism and focuses initially
on a description and explanation of the existence of orthodox terrorism discourse,
clarifying how and why it is constructed, what it is used for and the associated
implications it has for understanding terrorism. The study also aims to explore the
range of alternative perceptions of terrorism created in terrorism and conflict studies
by using international relations theory as frameworks through which to examine
different levels of analysis pertaining to terrorism and conflict. The purpose is to
develop a multi-level and multi-dimensional framework for rethinking the roots of
terrorism based upon the most sophisticated theoretical approaches provided by
terrorism and conflict studies. This framework, which also provides a reflexive
critique of orthodox terrorism theory, is not intended as a new theory of terrorism but
represents an attempt to provide a broader, more comprehensive and holistic approach
to the problem of terrorism.
In order to test this comprehensive framework for the analysis of terrorism,
this study examines the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and discusses how orthodox
terrorism theory is employed by Israel. It also demonstrates how Palestinian terrorism
can be re-examined through the application of the alternative framework to reveal a
considerably more comprehensive, multi-dimensional and multi-level understanding
of the root causes of terrorism. The conclusion of this study suggests that rethinking
terrorism will provide an increasingly sophisticated understanding of political
violence and equip the study of terrorism with more robust analytical tools with which
to create a number of potential channels to facilitate resolution of the deep underlying
problems that cause terrorism.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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