DOCSLIB.ORG

The Social Construction of Suicide Terrorism CéCile Valã©Rie Van De Voorde University of South Florida

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Social Construction of Suicide Terrorism CéCile Valã©Rie Van De Voorde University of South Florida University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2006 Freedom fighters, freedom haters, martyrs, and evildoers: The social construction of suicide terrorism Cécile Valérie Van de Voorde University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation Van de Voorde, Cécile Valérie, "Freedom fighters, freedom haters, martyrs, and evildoers: The ocs ial construction of suicide terrorism" (2006). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/2734 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Freedom Fighters, Freedom Haters, Martyrs, and Evildoers: The Social Construction of Suicide Terrorism by Cécile Valérie Van de Voorde A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Criminology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Thomas M. Mieczkowski, Ph.D. Kimberly M. Lersch, Ph.D. Christine S. Sellers, Ph.D. Wilson R. Palacios, Ph.D. Joseph A. Vandello, Ph.D. Date of Approval: April 6, 2006 Keywords: Suicide bombing, constructionism, symbolic interaction, folk devils, moral panics, politics of fear, terrorism prevention, case study © Copyright 2006, Cécile Valérie Van de Voorde Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my Godmother, Urszula Pedreira, an amazing woman whose untimely death in November 2004 made me reconsider my purpose in life at a time that was already particularly difficult for me. She faced terminal illness with dignity, serenity, and grace. Her strength and determination became mine. Her bravery and integrity will never cease to inspire me. I also dedicate this work to current and future researchers in the field of terrorism. May you move beyond integrating literature and reworking old materials so as to ensure substantive new data and knowledge can effectively improve our objective understanding of the complex phenomenon of terrorism. Do exhort and exert yourself to contribute significant, original work and compelling analyses to your chosen area of studies. When in doubt, follow Sir Francis Bacon’s words of wisdom: “If we are to achieve results never before accomplished, we must employ methods never before attempted.” Acknowledgments My thanks and appreciation go to Tom Mieczkowski, chair of my dissertation committee, for encouraging and assisting me with my research and writing efforts. Many heartfelt thanks also go to the members of my committee, Kim Lersch, Chris Sellers, Wilson Palacios, and Joe Vandello, for investing their time and helping me improve my work. I am forever indebted to Mark Hamm and Jeff Ferrell for lighting my fire and opening my eyes to the real – albeit underground – world of criminology. Mark has always supported my research endeavors and made sure I knew where my priorities were. He will undoubtedly remind me of what is truly important in life in years to come. Jeff has inspired my work and worldview for many years now. Working with him over the next decades will be a delight – at TCU or wherever cultural criminology may take us… I am also thankful for my friends, relatives, colleagues, professors, students, and many others whose valuable advice (and often needed cool-headedness) helped me conduct my research and write my dissertation with a relatively sound mind. Finally, for their constant guidance, precious wisdom, and unconditional love, I ought to express my deepest gratitude to my parents, Anna and Hervé. They have taught me to be demanding but fair (a useful mix in any classroom), to challenge conventions, to have faith in myself and, above all, to strive to be happy. Merci du fond du coeur. Table of Contents List of Tables v List of Figures vi Abstract vii Chapter One – Introduction 1 Chapter Two – Literature Review 5 Suicide Terrorism 6 Defining Terrorism 6 Phenomenology and Etiology 7 Psychological explanations of suicide terrorism 8 Socio-economic explanations of suicide terrorism 8 Religious and moral explanations of suicide terrorism 9 Isolating issues and cases 9 Anti-terrorism and counter-terrorism issues 10 The sociology of suicide terrorism 10 Suicide Terrorism in Perspective 11 Main Characteristics 11 Historical Developments 13 Contemporary Trends and Issues 15 The Global War on Terror: War of Ideas and War of Words 18 Ideological warfare and the terrorist label 18 The FTO solution: Denomination or demonization? 19 Rationale for a Social Constructionist Approach to the Study of Suicide Terrorism 21 Social Constructionism 24 Defining Social Problems and Social Reality 25 Strict vs. Contextual Constructionism 27 Social Problems and Audiences 28 Public Images of Social Problems 29 Rhetoric and random violence 29 Mass media, symbolic violence, and representations of crime 29 Social Problems and Moral Panics 30 Overview of moral panics 30 Deviance and morality 32 i Moral crusades and moral entrepreneurs 34 Rule creation and rule enforcement 35 Differential social power 37 Critique of Social Constructionism 38 Symbolic Interactionism 40 Overview and Underlying Assumptions 40 The Interpretive Tradition 41 Symbolic interaction and the study of human lived experience 42 Hermeneutics and interpretivists 42 The Chicago School of interactionism: Blumerian contributions to the interpretive tradition 46 Critique of Symbolic Interactionism 47 Summary of Literature and Purpose of Study 50 Chapter Three – Methodology 57 Multi-Case Study 57 Overview of Research Design 60 Case Identification and Selection Criteria 64 The Role of the Researcher 68 Data Collection Methods 73 Interviews 74 Document Analysis 78 Methodological Concerns 82 Credibility 85 Transferability 86 Dependability 88 Confirmability 91 Data Interpretation 92 Constant Comparative Analysis 92 Data Transcription and Storage 94 Codes and Analytic Categories 95 Synthetic Network Diagram 100 Chapter Four – Findings 102 Overview of Patterns and Themes 102 Suicide Bombings as Political Weapons 104 Hizballah’s Brand of Destruction 106 LTTE Suicide Bombings and Sri Lankan Politics 107 Chechen Suicide Bombing Operations 108 The London Bombings and European Politics 111 Suicide Terrorism as a Communication Tool 112 Overview of Media Coverage of Suicide Bombings 113 The Media as Publicity Agents 116 The Use of the Internet 120 ii Film Portrayals of Suicide Bombers 122 Moral Panics and the Politicization of Suicide Terrorism 125 Suicide Bombers as Contemporary Folk Devils 125 Typical profile of a suicide bomber 126 The use of women in suicide bombing missions 130 Symbols and Demonization: The Post-September 11 Rhetoric 135 The clash of civilizations model 135 Bushspeak 137 The “terrorist” label 138 Summary of Findings 144 Chapter Five - Discussion & Conclusions 145 Summary of Study 145 Theoretical Implications of Results 148 Appropriateness of the Theoretical Framework 148 The Use of Suicide Bombings as a Political Weapon 150 Suicide bombings as a winning practice of asymmetrical warfare 150 Strategic and tactical usefulness 151 The Use of Suicide Bombings as a Communication Tool 152 The media’s perspective 152 The terrorist perspective 155 The governmental perspective 160 The Politicization of Suicide Terrorism and Moral Panics 164 Suicide terrorism and moral panics 164 Suicide bombers as folk devils 167 Collective insecurity and the politics of fear 170 Practical Implications of the Results 173 Countering Suicide Terrorism 174 Suicide Terrorism Prevention: Why Preventive Measures Have Not Worked 175 Some Promising Counterterrorism Practices 177 Using Intelligence: Why Might Is Not Always Right 180 Adjusting Priorities and Re-Setting Agendas 183 Study Limitations and Suggestions for Further Research 185 Limitations 186 Future Research 189 References 195 Bibliography 210 Appendices 253 Appendix A: Foreign Terrorist Organizations (2005) 254 Appendix B: Suicide Terrorism Grant Questions 264 iii Appendix C: Strengthening Intelligence to Better Protect America (2003) – The Terrorist Threat Integration Center 270 Appendix D: Homeland Security Advisory System – Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies 277 About the Author End Page iv List of Tables Table 1. Binary of Violence – The West vs. the Other 20 Table 2. Sampling Strategies and Case Selection 67 Table 3. Sources of Data, Types of Evidence Collected, and Sample Size 74 Table 4. Interviewee Demographics for On-Site One-on-One Phenomenological and Elite Interviewing Process, By Country 76 Table 5. Numbers of Articles Published in Major Newspapers and News Magazines, By Keywords, 1980-2005 79 Table 6. Master List of Categories and Codes 96 Table 7. Concept Frequencies, Count and Percentage, By Categories 99 Table 8. Kimhi & Even’s Classification of Suicide Bomber Prototypes and their Correlates 128 v List of Figures Figure 1. Social Construction of Suicide Terrorism: Multi-Case Study Data Matrix 59 Figure 2. Research Design Concept Map 93 Figure 3. Network Diagram for the Social Construction of Suicide Terrorism 101 vi Freedom Fighters, Freedom Haters, Martyrs, and Evildoers: The Social Construction of Suicide Terrorism Cécile Valérie Van de Voorde ABSTRACT Suicide terrorism is characterized by the willingness of physically and psychologically war-trained individuals
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Using Dr. Seuss to Teach Social Process, Conflict, and Labeling Theory Angela D
    Marshall University Marshall Digital Scholar Criminal Justice Faculty Research Criminal Justice 1-1-2005 Horton the elephant is a criminal: Using Dr. Seuss to teach social process, conflict, and labeling theory Angela D. Crews Marshall University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://mds.marshall.edu/criminal_justice_faculty Part of the Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance Commons, and the Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons Recommended Citation West, A. D. (2005). Horton the elephant is a criminal: Using Dr. Seuss to teach social process, conflict, and labeling theory. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 16(2), 340-358. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Criminal Justice at Marshall Digital Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Criminal Justice Faculty Research by an authorized administrator of Marshall Digital Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Horton the Elephant is a Criminal: Using Dr. Seuss to Teach Social Process, Conflict, and Labeling Theory Angela D. West, Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Louisville Department of Justice Administration Brigman Hall 2nd Floor Louisville, KY 40292 Phone: (502) 852-0377 Fax: (502) 852-0065 [email protected] *A version of this paper was presented to the American Society of Criminology, Denver, Colorado (November 2003) Abstract It is fairly well known that Theodore Geisel (“Dr. Seuss”) often used art and storytelling as political and social commentary, no one has attempted to interpret his work through the lens of sociological/criminological theory. This paper argues that several of his tales can be used as aids in teaching the basic principles of many sociological/criminological theories.
    [Show full text]
  • Fictional Reality and the Portrayal of Justice in Modern Sociology and Contemporary Novels
    Free Inquiry In Creative Sociology Volume 34 NO.2 November 2006 133 FICTIONAL REALITY AND THE PORTRAYAL OF JUSTICE IN MODERN SOCIOLOGY AND CONTEMPORARY NOVELS Ralph G. O'Sullivan, Chillicothe, IL ABSTRACT Social justice is a popular subject of discussion in sociology, politics, jurisprudence, as well as popular novels. The outcomes of its proceedings are equally curious because that which is "'just" depends upon such variables as defining the direction that justice needs to take; allocating authority to enforce it; and public reaction to its consequences. This article represents a layered investigative journey into the portrayal of justice in nine popular series novels because its fictional enactment represents the way that the population would like to see it enforced, but does not. Since the body of the material reviewed here are works of fiction which incorporate known data a new expression is offered. Fictional reality refers to the ways in which novelists weave fair knowledge about modern justice into stories which please their audiences, and this article explores the means by which that melding occurs. "You want justice done, you got to get it search for truth that the author shares" writes yourself. " Jeff Rovin (2005 233), author of books in a (James Lee Burke, In the Moon of Red Tom Clancy-created series. Ponies) James Lee Burke created the series of books featuring Deputy Sheriff Dave Robi­ ''That's what the notion of 'justice' was all cheaux (1987-2003, 2005, 2006) and the about anyway: settling up." shorter series about Billy Bob Holland from (Sue Grafton, A is for Alibi) which the above statement was taken; Sue Grafton wrote the best-selling "Alphabet" "I don't think Barbara Daggett gave a crime books starring private detective Kinsey damn about seeing justice done, what­ Milhone (1983-2005); and Nora Roberts cre­ ever that consists of." ated many stories whose genres are difficult (Sue Grafton, D is for Deadbeat) to classify.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cyclical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2001 The yC clical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship. Yvonne L. Wolf East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Liberal Studies Commons Recommended Citation Wolf, Yvonne L., "The yC clical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship." (2001). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 127. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/127 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Cyclical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship A thesis presented to the faculty of the Master of Liberal Studies Program East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Liberal Studies by Yvonne L. Wolf May 2001 Dr. Martha Copp, Chair Dr. Robert Leger Dr. John Whitehead Keywords: Moral Entrepreneurship, Rhetoric, Drug Wars, Discrimination, Racial Prejudice ABSTRACT The Cyclical Nature of Moral Entrepreneurship by Yvonne L. Wolf The primary focus of this study was to determine how “moral entrepreneurs” were able to convince the American public to support their anti-drug crusades. The methodology section consisted of information gathered from primary and secondary sources, and described why these sources were used. Harry Anslinger and Richard Nixon were used as models to demonstrate how a cycle of moral entrepreneurship existed throughout the twentieth century.
    [Show full text]
  • Governing Terrorism Through Preemption: a Comparative Analysis of Radicalization in Three Western Liberal Democracies Derek M.D
    University of South Carolina Scholar Commons Theses and Dissertations 2017 Governing Terrorism through Preemption: A Comparative Analysis of Radicalization in Three Western Liberal Democracies Derek M.D. Silva University of South Carolina Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Silva, D. M.(2017). Governing Terrorism through Preemption: A Comparative Analysis of Radicalization in Three Western Liberal Democracies. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/4278 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GOVERNING TERRORISM THROUGH PREEMPTION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RADICALIZATION IN THREE WESTERN LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES by Derek M.D. Silva Bachelor of Arts University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2012 Master of Arts Carleton University, 2014 Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Carolina 2017 Accepted by: Mathieu Deflem, Major Professor Andrea K. Henderson, Committee Member Carla A. Pfeffer, Committee Member Wadie E. Said, Committee Member Cheryl L. Addy, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School © Copyright by Derek M.D. Silva, 2017 All Rights Reserved. ii DEDICATION For Ali, Gilmour, and Gator. Gilmour, you were my best friend and true companion. I will never, ever forget the memories we shared as a family. You will live on in my heart forever. Rest in peace my boy. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose now infamous proclamation against “committing sociology” when considering issues of terrorism was in many ways the impetus for this project and my entire graduate research career.
    [Show full text]
  • The Problematics of Moral and Legal Theory
    University of Chicago Law School Chicago Unbound Journal Articles Faculty Scholarship 1998 The Problematics of Moral and Legal Theory Richard A. Posner Follow this and additional works at: https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/journal_articles Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Richard A. Posner, "The Problematics of Moral and Legal Theory," 111 Harvard Law Review 1637 (1998). This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at Chicago Unbound. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal Articles by an authorized administrator of Chicago Unbound. For more information, please contact [email protected]. VOLUME 111 MAY 1998 NUMBER 7 1HARVARD LAW REVIEW1 '997 OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES LECTURES THE PROBLEMATICS OF MORAL AND LEGAL THEORY Richard A. Posner TABLE OF CONTENTS I. THE Lminrs OF MORAL THEORIZING ........................................................................... 638 A. The Thesis of PartI Summarized............................................................................. 638 B. My Moral Stance ......................................................................................................... 1642 x. Moral Relativism ................................................................................................ 1642 2. Moral Subjectivism ............................................................................................ 1643 3. Moral Skepticism ............................................................................................... 1643 4. Emotivism ..........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • We Are All Entrepreneurs Now
    Columbia Law School Scholarship Archive Faculty Scholarship Faculty Publications 2007 We Are All Entrepreneurs Now David Pozen Columbia Law School, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship Part of the Business Organizations Law Commons, and the Law and Society Commons Recommended Citation David Pozen, We Are All Entrepreneurs Now, WAKE FOREST LAW REVIEW, VOL. 43, P. 283, 2008 (2007). Available at: https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/1508 This Working Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Publications at Scholarship Archive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of Scholarship Archive. For more information, please contact [email protected]. W08-POZEN.V2 3/19/2008 4:02:30 PM WE ARE ALL ENTREPRENEURS NOW David E. Pozen* A funny thing happened to the entrepreneur in legal, business, and social science scholarship. She strayed from her capitalist roots, took on more and more functions that have little to do with starting or running a business, and became wildly popular in the process. Nowadays, “social entrepreneurs” tackle civic problems through innovative methods, “policy entrepreneurs” promote new forms of government action, “norm entrepreneurs” seek to change the way society thinks or behaves, and “moral entrepreneurs” try to alter the boundaries of duty or compassion. “Ethnification entrepreneurs,” “polarization entrepreneurs,” and other newfangled spinoffs pursue more discrete objectives. Entrepreneurial rhetoric has never been so trendy or so plastic. This Article documents the proliferation of entrepreneurs in the American academic idiom, and it offers some reflections on the causes and consequences of this trend.
    [Show full text]
  • University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St
    INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting thru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a large round black mark, it is an indication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during exposure and thus cause a blurred image. You will finda good image of the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., was part of the material being photographed the photographer followed a definite method in "sectioning" the material. It is customary to begin photoing at the upper left hand corner of a large sheet and to continue photoing from left to right in equal sections with a small overlap. If necessary, sectioning is continued again — beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. The majority of users indicate that the textual content is of greatest value, however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from "photographs" if essential to the understanding of the dissertation.
    [Show full text]
  • Conflicting Narratives on the 26 May 2016 Toronto Police Raid on Cannabis Shops
    Thaddeus Müller University of Lancaster, UK Cannabis, Moral Entrepreneurship, and Stigma: Conflicting Narratives on the 26 May 2016 Toronto Police Raid on Cannabis Shops DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.15.2.10 Abstract On May 26, 2016, the police raided 43 cannabis dispensaries in Toronto, Canada, making 90 arrests. This article aims to describe the narrative of the responsible state agencies concerning the police raid and compare it to the narrative of those who opposed it, such as activists, as well as consumers and sellers of cannabis. While such concepts as moral entrepreneur, moral panic, and moral crusade have traditionally been used to study those in power, I will employ them to explore both the state narrative and ways in which counterclaims-makers resisted it. In order to do so, I will further develop the concept of moral entrepreneurship and its characteristics by relating it to studies of moral panics and social problems. This article will be guided by the following question: How did each party socially construct its cannabis narrative, and in what way can we use the concept of moral entrepreneurship to describe and analyze these narratives as social constructions? I have investigated the media coverage of the raid and ethno- graphically studied shops in Toronto in order to study the narratives. My findings show that both parties used a factual neutral style, as well as a dramatizing style. The later includes such typical crusading strategies as constructing victims and villains and presenting the image of a dystopian social world. In order to explain the use of these strategies, we will relate them to the shifting wider social and historical context and to the symbolic connotation of cannabis shops in Toronto in particular and in Canada as a whole.
    [Show full text]
  • ABSTRACT BRUGH, CHRISTINE SHAHAN. Heterogeneity Across
    ABSTRACT BRUGH, CHRISTINE SHAHAN. Heterogeneity across Terrorism Contexts and Actors: Improving the Evidence Base Supporting Counterterrorism Strategy. (Under the direction of Dr. Joseph Simons-Rudolph and Dr. Sarah L. Desmarais). Though the research on terrorism has grown vastly since the September 11th terrorist attacks, the field still grapples with critical questions regarding who is likely to perpetrate terrorist acts and how to intervene to prevent terrorist violence (Desmarais, Simons-Rudolph, Brugh, Schilling, & Hoggan, 2017). Annual global deaths from terrorism remain in the tens of thousands (Miller, 2018), making the study of terrorism is crucially important for effective, evidence-based counterterrorism strategy. As the methods used to study terrorism have become increasingly diverse, the consensus among researchers has moved away from a “one-size-fits all” approach to explain why individuals participate in terrorism to an understanding that terrorist participation must be studied with respect to individual differences, diverse community contexts, and changing sociopolitical circumstances (LaFree & Freilich, 2017). To that end, this dissertation examines heterogeneity across actors and contexts by 1) summarizing the extant literature on terrorism, 2) studying terrorism-involved women, and 3) comparing the characteristics of U.S. and European lone actor terrorists. In the first manuscript, the state of terrorism research is summarized using a systematic review approach. In the largest aggregate review of the research to date, 12,000 articles were screened, revealing trends and gaps in the extant literature base. Existing literature is predominately theoretical and written by authors from the United States. Articles often lacked specificity regarding the type of terrorist, action, or ideology of interest.
    [Show full text]
  • Sociology 2240 Deviance and Conformity (Winter 2009)
    SOCIOLOGY 2240 DEVIANCE AND CONFORMITY (WINTER 2009) Grande Prairie Regional College Instructor: Alan Segal [email protected] Office Hours: Mondays: 14.30 – 15 Tuesdays and Thursdays: 14 – 14.30; 17.30 – 18 Or By Appointment Office: C410, 539-2011 Course Prerequisite: SO1000 Course Description: A study of the politics and social ramifications of conformity, deviance, and their relation to social change. The course examines how and why some behaviour patterns are defined as deviant or conformist. GOALS: 1. To understand how sociological concepts may help us analyze and comprehend our inclination to define and classify people and their behaviour. 2. To develop analytical and critical thinking skills through discussions of issues relevant to conformity. 3. To become aware of historical and contemporary attitudes, practices, and values relevant to concepts of deviance and conformity, and to their applications. Required Reading: Constructions of Deviance: Social Power, Context, and Interaction, Fourth Edition - Patricia and Peter Adler, Editors Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices - Stuart Hall, Editor Assignments: Photo Project:. (F, D- to A+) This assignment requires you to submit a photographic portfolio of at least 10 photos of Grande Prairie or its region. The pictures will convey an idea, an impression, and a provocation around the meaning(s) of your portfolio. Along with the portfolio the assignment must include an explanatory essay of at least 1200 words. The essay will explain and discuss your interpretation of your portfolio. Additional research may be drawn in but is not required. However, you must use pertinent concepts available to you in the Representations... book, especially the chapter that explores the cultural significance of photography.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
    Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management I olume 3, luue 4 2006 Artic:le 2 A Precis of Suicide Terrorism Daniel B. Kennedy .. • Um\crsuy of Detroit \lcrcy. daniclbkcnncdyra comcasl.net Copyright (c)2006 The 13crkclcy flcctroruc Press. All rights reserved TSA 15-00014 - 001364 A Precis of Suicide Terrorism Daniel B. Kennedy Abstract Smce the early 19~0s, su1c1de bombmgs have become the deadlle'>t form oftcrromm. Suic1dc bomber.. arc not generally chmcally demnged and arc soc1ally and pohllcally mOII\ated. rurther­ morc, the motives ofsu1c1dc bomber.. can be considered scpamtely from those ofthc1r sponsoring organintions. Secunty personnel arc adv1scd to watch for seven signs of terrorist act1vity and to be mmdful of ccrtam bcnanoralmd1cator., of subjects ubout to attack. Terrorism must be prevented at the source, during pre-attack phase-.. and at the target KE' WORDS: tcrmrbm, suicide bombings. terrorism sign'>, profiling TSA 15-00014 - 001365 Kennedy Suicide Tcrruri\m INTRODUCTION Broadly defined, terrorbm i., the u~e of extreme violence again~t innocent civilian<, in order to create fear for the purpo~e of forcing political, social, or religious change. Terrori-.m has been defined in numerous way<, by academics, political leaders, and the popular pres-.. Cooper (200 I) and Hoffman ( 1998) dic;cuss the debate' surrounding the multiple definllion~ of terrori~>rn. Although terromm will lik.ely remain a "conte..,tec..l concept" (Smelser and Mitchell 2002). Crenshaw ( 1983) ha.., c;uggested that terrorism can be distinguished from guerrilla warfare by the former's emphlli.i~ on nonmilitary targets, unconventionaJ weaponry, and unlikelihood of VICtory in the traditional sense of the word.
    [Show full text]
  • Terror As Strategy and Relational Process
    02_tilly_054468 (jk-t) 17/6/05 11:46 am Page 11 Terror as Strategy and Relational Process Charles Tilly* ABSTRACT Common explanations of terrorism, here illustrated by the work of Jessica Stern and of US State Department analysts, have two significant weaknesses. First, they homogenize terror, assuming that one type of person, group, or action accounts for most instances of its use. Second, they focus on dispositions and motives, decision logics, emotions, or cultural templates of terror-producing actors prior to their action. Adequate explanations of terror must repair these defects by a) looking systematically at variation among produc- ers of terror and b) shifting the focus to relations among actors. Terror is a strategy employed by a wide variety of persons and groups, involving a substantial range of actions. Keywords: relational process, terror, violence Harvard social science lecturer Jessica Stern has written a vivid first-person I- was-there book called Terror in the Name of God. Stern recounts how after years as an expert on terrorism – the Council on Foreign Relations gave her the resounding title Superterrorism Fellow – she began seeking out religious terror- ists and asking them detailed questions about their lives. She first interviewed terrorist Kerry Noble in 1998. Noble had by then served years in prison, convicted of conspiracy to possess unregistered weapons. During the early 1980s, he had risen to second- in-command of a militant Christian cult called the Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord (CSA). The CSA hoped to speed the Messiah’s return to earth. They thought they could do so by overturning the US government, which had sold itself to the Antichrist in the forms of Jews, blacks, the United Nations, and the International Monetary Fund.
    [Show full text]