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! ! ! ! ! ! ! In the Right (Wrong?) Place at The Right Time: A plausibility probe of Ziad Munson’s process of mobilisation, with violent !and non-violent evidence. ! by ! ! Andrea! Lane ! A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements! for the degree of Master !of Arts in ! International Affairs ! ! Carleton University ! Ottawa, Ontario ! ! ! ! ! ! ! @ 2014 Andrea Lane ! Abstract This paper is a plausibility probe of Ziad Munson’s theory of activist mobilisation, testing its relevance first to non-violent activist mobilisation and then to mobilisation into terroristic violence. As well, a case study of the Canadian terrorist group “Direct Action” is presented. Using both semi-structured interviews and extant research to provide data, Munson’s mobilisation process was tested to determine if its further use, particularly by counterterrorism practitioners, is warranted. Munson’s mobilisation process was found to be relevant to both non-violent activist mobilisation as well as mobilisation into political violence and terrorism. Suggestions are offered for further research. ! ! Chapter 1: Introduction ......................................................................3 I. Why this research? .....................................................................3 II. Why Munson’s process ...............................................................4 III. Research context .......................................................................5 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................12 I. Overview ....................................................................................12 II. Network contacts and ‘asking’ ..................................................13 III. Biographical availability ..........................................................17 IV. Life event or cognitive opening ................................................21 V. Psychology and Emotions .........................................................23 VI. Conclusion ..............................................................................24 Chapter 3: Munson’s theoretical framework..................................... 26 I. Introduction ...............................................................................26 II. Munson’s Mobilisation Process .................................................29 1a. Movement Contact ................................................................................................29 1b. Turning Points ......................................................................................................30 2. Initial Activism ........................................................................................................31 3. Development of Beliefs ...........................................................................................32 4. Full Movement Participation .................................................................................33 5. Belief development and activist “streams” ............................................................33 III. Applicability to Terrorism Research .......................................36 Chapter 4: Methodology ....................................................................37 I. Introduction ............................................................................37 II. Definitions used in the study ....................................................38 III. Hypotheses to be tested ...........................................................39 IV. Case selection ..........................................................................39 1. Violent Case Studies ................................................................................................39 2. Non-violent Case Studies ........................................................................................41 V. Interview methodology .............................................................42 VI. Non-interview methodology ....................................................42 VII. Operationalization of Munson’s Theory ..................................43 1. Turning Point ..........................................................................................................43 2. Movement Contact .................................................................................................43 3. Initial Activism .......................................................................................................44 4. Full Participation ....................................................................................................44 VIII. Problems with the methodology ............................................45 1. Small number of cases studied ...............................................................................45 2. Problems inherent in interviews and autobiographies ..........................................46 Chapter 5: ‘Direct Action’ .................................................................48 I. Why Direct Action? ....................................................................48 II. Direct Action: A timeline ...........................................................50 1981 .............................................................................................................................50 1982 .............................................................................................................................52 Winter 1982-1983 .......................................................................................................55 III. Direct Action In Context ..........................................................56 IV. Actions Before Beliefs ..............................................................61 !2 II. Violent case studies: ‘Direct Action’ ..........................................64 Ann Brit Hansen .........................................................................................................64 Brent Taylor ................................................................................................................68 Juliet “Julie” Belmas ...................................................................................................70 Gerald “Gerry Useless” Hannah .................................................................................74 Douglas Stewart ..........................................................................................................77 Chapter 6: Results ............................................................................79 I. Summary ...................................................................................79 II. Hypotheses ...............................................................................79 II. Information not accounted for by Munson’s theory ..................80 1. Ideology ..................................................................................................................80 2. Lack of violent contact ...........................................................................................82 Chapter 7: Qualitative Results and Discussion ..................................84 I. Non-violent cases ....................................................................84 1. Turning Point ........................................................................................................85 2. Initial Contact ........................................................................................................86 3. Initial Action, Full Participation and Activism ‘Streams’ .....................................88 4. Beliefs About Tactics ..............................................................................................91 5. Beliefs About Violence ...........................................................................................93 6. Conclusion .............................................................................................................94 II. Violent Subjects ........................................................................95 1. Turning Point .........................................................................................................95 2. Initial Contact .......................................................................................................98 3. Initial Action/Full Participation/Stream ..............................................................99 Chapter 8: Recommendations and Conclusions ..............................101 I. Further research .....................................................................101 II. More effective use of counterterrorism resources ...................102 III. Better relationships with non-violent activists .......................105 IV. Conclusion ..............................................................................111 Appendix 1: Interview Questionnaire ..............................................114 Appendix 2: List of Interviewees .....................................................117 Appendix 3: List of sources for Violent case data .............................118 Bibliography ...................................................................................120 !3 Chapter 1: Introduction !I. Why this research? This research seeks to add to the academic understanding of micro- mobilisation into terroristic political violence: the individual-level process by which a person comes to embrace serious violence in the pursuit of a political or social cause. It will present