Terror for Profit: A New Look at Terrorism
Chapter 1 of Terror for Profit: A New Paradigm for Understanding Terrorism and Organized Crime examines the difficulty in defining terrorism, a problem rooted in the lack of consensus over whether state actors can commit acts of terrorism.
Defining Terrorism Is Difficult
The text explores this complexity through the example of the French Resistance in World War II, whose actions were deemed "terrorist" by the Nazis but "freedom fighting" by the Allied forces. Similarly, the actions of the Mujahideen in Afghanistan during the 1980s were perceived as terrorist acts by the Soviet Union but supported by the United States.
The chapter emphasizes the lack of a universally accepted definition, attributing this to competing interests, the historical reliance on non-primary sources in research, and limited access to individuals with firsthand experience. The author adopts the definition provided by the 2004 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1566.
A New Perspective
The chapter asserts that examining the relationship between lone wolf terrorists and the nexus between terrorism and organized crime offers a new lens for understanding modern terrorism. This new perspective suggests that focusing on individual motivations, rather than solely on group dynamics, can provide valuable insights into terrorist behavior.
For example, the text highlights that previous research on the links between terrorism and organized crime primarily focused on group analysis. By shifting the focus to individual motivations, this book aims to illuminate the factors driving actors toward terrorist behavior, particularly in post-conflict situations.
Questions for Discussion:
How does the historical context of the French Resistance and the Mujahideen in Afghanistan complicate the definition of terrorism?
Why is it important to consider individual motivations in addition to group dynamics when studying terrorism?
Intrigued? Delve deeper into this groundbreaking exploration of terrorism by purchasing Terror for Profit: A New Paradigm for Understanding Terrorism and Organized Crime. This book offers a compelling new framework for understanding the motivations and actions of terrorists in the modern world.
Terror for Profit: A New Paradigm for Understanding Terrorism and Organised Crime’ is published by KeyPoint Press
Terror for Profit: A New Paradigm for Understanding Terrorism and Organized Crime is presently available on Amazon in ebook format for Kindle and paperback. Hardcover will be available soon!