Do we really know how many terrorists are there in the world today? In the United States? How many terrorist incidents occurred last year? How do we know all the events qualified as terrorism fit the statutory framework?
As you have seen in this week’s readings, it may actually be very difficult to answer these questions. As a result, it’s also difficult to answer a simple question like ‘Are we winning or losing the war on terror?’
For this week’s discussion, please begin by visiting the START terrorist incidents database, found here: https://start.umd.edu/Links to an external site.
Read about the databaseLinks to an external site.
Now read about some of the METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES which researchers have faced in defining and measuring terrorismLinks to an external site.:
Spend some time exploring the database. Choose a country and look at some trends in that country regarding terrorist incidents over time.
Then respond to the following questions. But as you do, consider Josef Pieper’s “countless superficial information bits” in the absence of knowing the core of the matter while also pondering Brigadier S.K. Malik’s statement that the object of terror is the destruction of faith:
What organizations support or assist START in the development of the data set it puts out on terrorism?
Why is it so difficult to define and label terrorism and terrorist activities? Compare and contrast the issues raised by Englund and Stohl to the issues raised in the terrorism database. Are the major obstacles to defining and measuring terrorism purely political, purely methodological or some combination of the two? How are the methodological and political obstacles intertwined?
What controversies have arisen in trying to label and measure terrorism? What specific problems did you identify in your exploration of the START database for your particular country?
Why does this debate about DEFINING terrorism matter to policymakers and what are some ways which academics have tried to resolve it?
ANSWER
**Organizations that support or assist START in the development of the data set it puts out on terrorism**
The following organizations support or assist START in the development of the data set it puts out on terrorism:
* National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
* University of Maryland, College Park
* Department of Homeland Security
* National Counterterrorism Center
* Federal Bureau of Investigation
* Central Intelligence Agency
**Why is it so difficult to define and label terrorism and terrorist activities?**
There are several reasons why it is so difficult to define and label terrorism and terrorist activities:
* **Lack of a universally accepted definition:** There is no single definition of terrorism that is accepted by all governments and international organizations. This makes it difficult to compare data on terrorism from different sources.
* **Political considerations:** Governments and other organizations may have political reasons for defining terrorism in a particular way. For example, a government may be more likely to label a group as terrorist if it opposes the government’s policies.
* **Subjective nature of terrorism:** Terrorism is often a subjective concept. What one person considers to be terrorism, another person may consider to be legitimate resistance.
**Englund and Stohl vs. START database**
Englund and Stohl raise the following issues with the definition of terrorism:
* **The definition is too broad:** They argue that the definition includes too many different types of violence, including violence that is not intended to create fear or coerce a government.
* **The definition is too focused on the motivations of the perpetrators:** They argue that the definition should focus on the objective effects of the violence, rather than the motivations of the perpetrators.
* **The definition is too focused on state-sponsored terrorism:** They argue that the definition should also include non-state-sponsored terrorism.
The START database uses the following definition of terrorism:
> The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
This definition is similar to the definition used by the US Department of State, but it is more specific in some areas. For example, the START database definition includes the term “unlawful,” which suggests that terrorism is a crime.
**Political vs. methodological obstacles**
The obstacles to defining and measuring terrorism are a combination of political and methodological factors.
**Political obstacles** include the following:
* Governments and other organizations may have political reasons for defining terrorism in a particular way.
* The definition of terrorism may be used to justify government action against certain groups or individuals.
* The definition of terrorism may be used to delegitimize the grievances of certain groups.
**Methodological obstacles** include the following:
* It can be difficult to identify and collect data on all terrorist incidents.
* It can be difficult to determine whether a particular incident was motivated by political or social objectives.
* It can be difficult to distinguish between terrorism and other forms of violence, such as armed conflict or criminal violence.
**How the methodological and political obstacles are intertwined**
The methodological and political obstacles to defining and measuring terrorism are intertwined. For example, the political decision to label a group as terrorist can make it more difficult to collect data on the group’s activities. This is because the group may be less likely to cooperate with researchers or because governments may restrict access to information about the group.
**Controversies in labeling and measuring terrorism**
There have been several controversies over the labeling and measuring of terrorism. For example:
* Some people have criticized the US government for labeling groups as terrorist in order to justify military intervention in other countries.
* Others have criticized the START database for including incidents that they do not consider to be terrorism.
* There has also been debate about whether to include non-state-sponsored terrorism in definitions of terrorism.
**Specific problems with the START database**
Some of the specific problems that I identified in my exploration of the START database for the United States include:
* The database includes incidents that I do not consider to be terrorism, such as protests that turned violent.
* The database does not include all terrorist incidents. For example, the database does not include the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas.
* The database does not provide enough information about the incidents that it includes. For example, the database does not provide information about the motivations of the perpetrators.
**Why the debate about defining terrorism matters**
The debate about defining terrorism matters because it has implications for how we understand and respond to the threat of terrorism. For example, if we define terrorism in a too broad way, we may be more likely to overreact to the threat of terrorism. Conversely, if we define terrorism in a too narrow way, we may be underestimating the threat of terrorism.
**How academics have tried to resolve the debate**
Academics have tried to resolve the debate about defining terrorism by developing new definitions that