Defining and Theorizing Terrorism: A Global Actor-Centered Approach

Autores

  • Omar Lizardo University of Arizona

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2008.341

Resumo

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. In this paper I draw on global approaches from international relations and world systems theories to propose a definition of terrorism that skirts these issues by concentrating on terrorist actors rather than terrorist behavior. I argue that this approach has several advantages, including the dissolution of several empirical and analytical problems produced by more essentialist definitions, and the location of terrorism within a two dimensional continuum of collective-violence phenomena in the international system which discloses important theoretical insights. I proceed to examine the characteristics of terrorism by comparing it with other forms of violence in the international system. I propose that terrorism may be part of the cycles and trends of unrest in the world system, responding to the same broad families of global dynamics as other forms of system-level conflict.

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Publicado

2008-08-26

Como Citar

Lizardo, O. (2008). Defining and Theorizing Terrorism: A Global Actor-Centered Approach. Journal of World-Systems Research, 14(2), 91–118. https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2008.341

Edição

Volume 14, Issue 2, 2008

Secção

General Section

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