Volume : VII, Issue : IV, April - 2017

TERROISM, IDENTITY AND LEGITIMACY: THE FOUR WAVES THEORY AND POLITICAL VIOLANCE

Suragam. Jagan Mohan Rao

Abstract :

         There is a multitude of situations capable of provoking terrorism. We find terrorists among deprived and uneducated people, and among the affluent and well educated; we find terrorists among psychotic and ‘normal’ healthy people; and among people of both sexes and of all ages. Terrorism occurs in rich as well as in poor countries in the modern industrialised world.

        When analysing the causes of terrorism, we are confronted with different levels of explanations. These are clearly marked by diverging notions about which research questions are the most central ones to be answered. These aim primarily at psychological explanations, such as identifying why individuals join a terrorist group. Explanations on the societal or national level primarily attempt to identify causal relationships between certain historical, cultural and socio–political characteristics of the larger society and the occurrence of terrorism.

         Who are the terrorists? Is there a specific ‘terrorist personality’? What drives individuals towards the act of terrorism? Why do they act the way they do? What are the psychological mechanisms of group interaction? Psychological research on terrorism can be divided into two main traditions:the psycho–pathological and the psycho–sociological traditions. Theories Relative deprivation theory is one version of the psycho–sociological research tradition. The connection between human frustration and political violence was recognised in ancient times, and it is essential in Aristotle’s classical theory of revolution.

        The role of modern mass media in this process is seen as a key explanation of the phenomenon of contagion. Hence, as a symbolic act, terrorism can be analysed  in this paper much like other mediums of communication, consisting of our basic components: transmitter (the terrorist), intended recipient (target), message (bombing, ambush) and feed back (reaction of target). The terrorist’s message necessitates a victim, but the target or intended recipient of the communication may not be the victim.  In this context, the ‘waves’ of terrorism may be partly explained by the desire of terrorists to assurance newsworthiness and consequently, media access. 

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

SURAGAM. JAGAN MOHAN RAO, TERROISM, IDENTITY AND LEGITIMACY: THE FOUR WAVES THEORY AND POLITICAL VIOLANCE, INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH : Volume‾7 | Issue‾4 | April-2017

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