Securitization: the real threat of terrorism
Following the tragic attacks of 9/11, the United States invested heavily in institutional entities designed to combat terrorism (Lum, Kennedy & Sherley, 2006:4). Across the pond in Europe, the attack led to an increased sense of vulnerability and the region is still perceived as a key target for both foreign and domestic terrorists (Shaffer, 2016:383). Recent attacks such as those in Stockholm, Nice and Westminster unquestionably bring about a perceived increase in the gravity of the terror threat. Whilst the increase of such attacks is undeniable, the statistical likelihood of becoming a casualty of a terrorist attack is much smaller than that of drowning in your own bathtub (Mueller, 2005:28).
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By adopting a critical approach, this essay seeks to assess the way in which historical and contextual factors affect knowledge, and effectively practices, regarding terrorism. The critical approach will also allow form an understanding of how the securitization of terrorism as a distinct type of institutional threat can exaggerate the perceived threat of terrorism as such (Vultee,2010:33). Secondly, this essay will discuss how securitization of the terrorist threat lead to a need for implementing counter-terrorism strategies directed to counteract hysteria the personal level (Huddy et. al, 2002:487). Based on this discussion, it will be argued that more resources should be devoted to academic research on how to cost-efficiently reduce fear related to terrorism. Lastly, this essay will critically assess the way in which a state itself can contribute to allowing conditions in which terrorism can occur. Effectively, this essay will point to the ways in which military counterterrorism can prove counterproductive. Based on these arguments, this essay will conclusively argue that more resources should be devoted to secondary effects of prevention strategies and …show more content…
As a preliminary to assess the appropriate place of terrorism in our politics of security, this essay therefore deems it necessary to account for the theoretical approach underlying the forthcoming arguments. Scholars belonging to orthodox terrorism studies have long been striving to agree upon an objective definition of terrorism, what which they consider an indispensable prerequisite for dealing with the issue as such (Ganor, 2002:287). Depending on the author in question, the definition of terrorism can range from including political violence to domestic violence and child abuse (Lum et.al, 2006:11). Though more narrowly defining terrorism can be considered beneficial in terms of making research and strategy development more straight-forward, the inherent value-based notion in such definitions results in it being seemingly impossible to reach consensus. Additionally, the tendency of attempting to reach a definition of terrorism based on single case studies leads orthodox terrorism studies to neglect the historical and contextual processes that can lead to terrorism (Jackson, Gunning & Smyth, 2007:7). This essay seeks to adopt a critical approach so as to place greater focus on which measures states can take in order to avoid the creation of conditions where terrorism can occur. Though one might argue that the term terrorism is
Foreign and domestic policies are not linear, rather the policies are connected in a circle, with each policy reinforcing the values of another. Domestic American terrorism in the prison and detention systems and governmental reforms are influenced by the mobilization and ethnocentrism abroad. The militarization internationally is justified by the domestic handling of the same cultural issues within the United State borders. The United States has strangely used a near Catch-22 to handle dilemmas. The United States has allowed perspective to become reality, whether with oneself or regarding issues abroad, specifically in the Middle East. Terrorism is the use or threat of fear for political or economical gain. An internal characteristic of terrorism is how dependent it is of perspective, one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. To understand “terrorism,” a focus must be applied to the history, what drove an organization to commit such acts. Respectively, the Middle East has been a hotbed for the key word “terrorism,” especially because of 9/11. Subsequently, Muslims have been stigmatized by the United States as terrorists. The consequences spawned because of 9/11 require a look to the past to understand the present.
So far, terrorism has been a key obstacle to many foreign nations, as they are struggling to prevent terrorist attacks. From the year of 1997 up to the year of 2003, international terrorist attacks have gone from less than 500 to almost 3000. Overall, global terrorism has grown by almost 1200% from 1997 to 2003. (Johnston 1). This massive increase in terrorism reflects on other nations' lack of control of the safety of their nation. These statistics also show that something needs to be done to protect the
Since 2001, domestic extremist have killed more people in the U.S. than foreign sources of Terrorism. In 2015 alone, 52 people were killed by domestic terrorism; the most killed by such terrorism in a decade (Berman, 2016). This leaves the United States of America no true face to fight, making it extremely difficult to find the perpetrators of terror. Fighting this form of terrorism is so challenging that the “U.S. Justice Department is considering legal changes to combat what it sees as a rising threat from domestic anti-government extremists,” (Harte, 2016). Over the past two years, 42 people have been charged with plotting attacks on America in the name of the Islamic state or anti-government fervor. All of these individuals will not face a life sentence, and will be let free in a couple of decades (Harte, 2016). With the little reform that happens in prison, these people will one day be out of prison, most likely with the same radical passion. Efforts are being made to make deradicalization facilities rather than let the convicted 42 go back into society with plenty of rage (Harte, 2016). The fight against radicalization has largely turned towards targeting the communities where they begin. Many
American’s fear of terrorism is founded on the ideal that it can effect anybody at any point: no one person is safe from terrorism (Anderson). This belief is also demonstrated in the Chapman Study, where participants listed terrorism as one of the five things they most fear (Chapman). By examining expert advice from homeland security and scholars, coupled with images from similar resources, I hope to further the understanding of how America can safe guard against terrorism, while also not compromising the values of liberty and
As a society, our government has tried to minimize domestic terrorism attacks and the impact that it causes should it occur, such as taking steps to acquire due diligence. Prior to the recent years, society lacked the preparedness programs and security plans, that could have prevented these ongoing attacks. Moreover, although we cannot put these attacks to a halt, we can surely put a plan into action that can prevent the widespread of these attacks. Nevertheless, these terrorists are becoming bolder ad bolder as the times go by, it seems as if the message of the government not allowing them to continue their rampage/destruction on the masses has not stuck. Prior to the recent years, we have seen high-profile attacks on major cities across the globe that has kept all individuals on their toes. Terrorist individuals/groups are no longer hitting specific groups of individuals or symbolic sites, but are more so hitting and putting cities and countries under siege, with the help of recruits they have acquired from poor and marginal neighborhoods all over, this type of recruitment is called
It is nearly impossible to go an entire day in the United States without hearing of some act of terrorism. Whether it be a shooting in a public place or threats against a group of people, this violent form of conflict is prevalent in every American’s life. These ruthless acts of cold-blooded murder demonstrate evil in its purest form, and leave death and mourning in their wake. The article “Homegrown Terrorism: Is There an Islamic Wave?” gives an overview of the rise of domestic terrorism since the tragedy of 9/11. Though it was written in 2011, the core message is the same today: terrorism in the United States still continues to grow at a sickening pace, with each new attack seeming more barbaric than the last.
Terrorism is one international political issue that has been significant in US society since the end of the Cold War. Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, America’s sense of security has been destroyed and continued terrorist attacks in other parts of the world targeting Americans, as well as other allied nations further fuels a sense of anxiety. From Bin Laden, to Saddam Hussein and ISIS the fear of further terrorism attacks is
Annotated bibliography Bellamy, Alex J., Security and the war on terror, 1975-, 2007 This author is a university lecturer in the University of Queensland. He is a professor of peace and conflict studies and seems like he has a very broad amount of knowledge in the area of different wars including war on terror. His book security and the war on terror are pushed towards readers who care about the security of their country and the war on terror. ‘This edited book recognises a fundamental issue: while major crises initially tend to reinforce old thinking and behavioural patterns, they also allow societies to challenge and overcome entrenched habits, thereby creating the foundations for a new and perhaps more peaceful future’ .
Lately, terrorism has picked up a worldwide character, which threats the enthusiasm of people, as well as extraordinarily impacts on public security, the stability of numerous states, paying little respect to their political framework and universal relations. In this way, domestic terrorism possesses not the last place in distinctive political arguments, and the development of the risk of domestic terrorism in the United States has showed up on the foundation of intense political issues, which are portrayed by dispersal of political, ethnic, and religious fanaticism, that exhibits a generous threat to the hobbies of the individual, society
The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines terrorism as, “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civil population or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives” (FBI, 2010). Although the threat of terrorism is high and will remain so for the foreseeable future, terrorism risks remain difficult to quantify. In order for a risk to be readily insurable, insurers must be able to estimate the possible or probable frequency and severity of the
As terrorist activity increases, insecurity within societies also increases with governments responding by increasing spending on counterterrorism enforcement, national security agencies and the military. This section compares the losses from direct terrorism activity to the costs borne by government in containing and mitigating the potential for terrorist violence.
As shown by the British security service MI5 and the French government’s estimations of the current threat level of international terrorism, respectively defined as SEVERE in the United Kingdom (Security Service MI5, 2016) and HIGH in France (French Government, n.d.), terrorism is considered to be among the most significant security threat nowadays. Understanding what encourages the development of terrorism and being able to develop effective counterterrorism strategies is therefore a central goal to many governments and policy makers today. As a result, an entire field of study has emerged dedicated to analyzing and researching the evolution of terrorism. Bruce Hoffman (2006:40) defines terrorism as “the deliberate creation and
Since that day America has changed the way that it handles each one situation that could maybe have anything to do with terrorism, or a terrorist ambush. For example, the security at plane terminals, metros, sea ports, national events, marathons and various diverse venues the country over has been changed to keep terrorist strikes from happening. The purposes of terrorism looked at in this paper consolidate who was accountable for the terrorist attacks, how and why these ambushes were orchestrated, and what America has done to battle this war on fear.
CTS research is embroiled in numerous debates. Amongst them is the debate on defining what ‘terrorism’ is; there is little agreement as to what constitutes ‘terrorism’ and who is a ‘terrorist’. This debate extends to whether a ‘new’ terrorism has emerged at any point in history or whether this idea of ‘new terrorism’ is simply a fallacy. A further sub-debate of the definition question is the argument of whether the State can be a terrorist or whether they act in similar ways to terrorism; this is a question my dissertation may have to answer as some of my primary sources seem to imply the view that the State can be a terrorist. Another debate in contemporary research is the causes of terrorism. The question over what causes people to turn
The history of terrorism can be traced back as far as the French revolution. Some of these acts of terrorism only seem as distant reminders of our past, but at the same time, are not a far cry from today’s brutal acts; and although these acts seem distant, it doesn’t also mean they are no longer in the thoughts of individuals in today’s time.