TERRORISM AND COUNTERTERRORISM
Leiden University
2024/2025
Coursera summary 2
Literature 12
1
,Coursera
week 1
facts and figures:
• terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon, large impact on peace and security
• large regional differences in fatalities
• high impact in almost every country
• biggest threat to peace and security
• post 9/11 world
History of terrorism
• terrorism is nothing new
• executed by many different groups and political backgrounds
• rapoport 4 waves:
1. anarchist wave (1880) - started in Russia, Russian writers and strategists,
catechism of a revolutionary, propaganda by the deed, new technologies.
Narodnaya Volya, the people’s will, killed the czar Alexander II. Very
successfull. Elisabeth of Austria.
2. anticolonial wave (1920) - struggle for selfdetermination and liberation,
freedom-fighters. IRA (irish republican army), FLN (front liberation nationale
algeria-fr).
3. new left wave (1960) - start ‘60, struggle at home and international struggle,
Vietnam war. Groups saw themselves as vanguards for third world masses.
Red brigades in Italy and Red Army in DEU. Conext of the wave is cold war.
Used urbad guerrilla to fight authorities. Hostage taking, plane hijacking
4. religious wave. current wave (1970) - start in 1979, islamic revolution in iran,
SU invaded Afghanistan. many groups linked to religions: jewish terrorists,
jihad fighters, christian groups, sects, attack by Aum Shirinyko. Suicide
attacks, Hexbollah, Al Quaeda (US embassies, in Nairobi 9/11) and IS (Syria
and Iraq), also non religious groups, PKK in Koerdistan, LTTI Liberation tigers
of tamil ealam. 2 most promintent Al Quaeda, IS.
all these waves lasted some decades and then lost support. no clear boundaries,
simplification.
use of word terrorism
Terrere of latin tremble. Emerged during French Revolution.
mostly used to describe actions by states
definition: unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the persuit of political
aims.
different meaning in different times.
4 reasons for lack of acceptance of concept (Schmid)
• a contested concept - political, legal, academic, popular notions diverging. what is a
terrorist for one is a freedom fighter for others
• delegitimization and criminalization - states have own list of terroristic groups, many
countries different view
• many types of terrorism - each different form and manifestation. 5 types based on
ideology: religiously inspired, ethno-nationalists and separatists, left-wing anarchists,
right-wing, single issue.
• undergone changes in meaning - change in semantic focus, at first referred to state,
then also non-state.
2
, need for definition
• necessary for cooperation: who are you trying to stop?
• to analyse developments with regard to terrorism
• violence justified in case of foreign occupation
• state terrorism: debate about including state actors, but inclusion has many
consequences, focus on non-state terrorism
• many attempts failed at definition
essence of terrorism
elements of terrorism:
• agreement on different elements,
• instrument or tactic to achieve goals,
• use of force
• fear - to spread fear,
terrorists want many people watching.
not mainly about killing but about fear.
impact can be high, societies can overreact, politics, economy, society.
Week 2
emergence of terrorism/ history of terrorism studies
late 1950s and early 1960s
• conflict theory
• political violence
• anti imperialists and revolutionary terrorism (underground, marxists)
• start of new left-wave
1970-1980
→ modus operandi more focus
• hijacking and hostages, RAF germany, Japanese red army, stormed embassy
• international connections of groups, terrorism in international affairs
1990s
→ new groups, more focus on the groups
• Nationalist separatist groups (IRA, ETA)
• Islamic groups (Hamas, suicide attacks)
• al-Qaeda more interest to group
• decline in interest in terrorism
1995s
→post 9/11
• al quaeda/ bin laden
• before decline in academic interst, after more scholars and experts.
• new research centers
• policy-oriented research
disciplines and approaches
academic approach
• political science: how terrorism influence political system, policy-making
• military science: force to counteract
• conflict studies: why turn to violence
• international relations: who puts on agenda
• communication: role of media
• psychology: behaviour, thoughts, characteristics
3
Leiden University
2024/2025
Coursera summary 2
Literature 12
1
,Coursera
week 1
facts and figures:
• terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon, large impact on peace and security
• large regional differences in fatalities
• high impact in almost every country
• biggest threat to peace and security
• post 9/11 world
History of terrorism
• terrorism is nothing new
• executed by many different groups and political backgrounds
• rapoport 4 waves:
1. anarchist wave (1880) - started in Russia, Russian writers and strategists,
catechism of a revolutionary, propaganda by the deed, new technologies.
Narodnaya Volya, the people’s will, killed the czar Alexander II. Very
successfull. Elisabeth of Austria.
2. anticolonial wave (1920) - struggle for selfdetermination and liberation,
freedom-fighters. IRA (irish republican army), FLN (front liberation nationale
algeria-fr).
3. new left wave (1960) - start ‘60, struggle at home and international struggle,
Vietnam war. Groups saw themselves as vanguards for third world masses.
Red brigades in Italy and Red Army in DEU. Conext of the wave is cold war.
Used urbad guerrilla to fight authorities. Hostage taking, plane hijacking
4. religious wave. current wave (1970) - start in 1979, islamic revolution in iran,
SU invaded Afghanistan. many groups linked to religions: jewish terrorists,
jihad fighters, christian groups, sects, attack by Aum Shirinyko. Suicide
attacks, Hexbollah, Al Quaeda (US embassies, in Nairobi 9/11) and IS (Syria
and Iraq), also non religious groups, PKK in Koerdistan, LTTI Liberation tigers
of tamil ealam. 2 most promintent Al Quaeda, IS.
all these waves lasted some decades and then lost support. no clear boundaries,
simplification.
use of word terrorism
Terrere of latin tremble. Emerged during French Revolution.
mostly used to describe actions by states
definition: unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the persuit of political
aims.
different meaning in different times.
4 reasons for lack of acceptance of concept (Schmid)
• a contested concept - political, legal, academic, popular notions diverging. what is a
terrorist for one is a freedom fighter for others
• delegitimization and criminalization - states have own list of terroristic groups, many
countries different view
• many types of terrorism - each different form and manifestation. 5 types based on
ideology: religiously inspired, ethno-nationalists and separatists, left-wing anarchists,
right-wing, single issue.
• undergone changes in meaning - change in semantic focus, at first referred to state,
then also non-state.
2
, need for definition
• necessary for cooperation: who are you trying to stop?
• to analyse developments with regard to terrorism
• violence justified in case of foreign occupation
• state terrorism: debate about including state actors, but inclusion has many
consequences, focus on non-state terrorism
• many attempts failed at definition
essence of terrorism
elements of terrorism:
• agreement on different elements,
• instrument or tactic to achieve goals,
• use of force
• fear - to spread fear,
terrorists want many people watching.
not mainly about killing but about fear.
impact can be high, societies can overreact, politics, economy, society.
Week 2
emergence of terrorism/ history of terrorism studies
late 1950s and early 1960s
• conflict theory
• political violence
• anti imperialists and revolutionary terrorism (underground, marxists)
• start of new left-wave
1970-1980
→ modus operandi more focus
• hijacking and hostages, RAF germany, Japanese red army, stormed embassy
• international connections of groups, terrorism in international affairs
1990s
→ new groups, more focus on the groups
• Nationalist separatist groups (IRA, ETA)
• Islamic groups (Hamas, suicide attacks)
• al-Qaeda more interest to group
• decline in interest in terrorism
1995s
→post 9/11
• al quaeda/ bin laden
• before decline in academic interst, after more scholars and experts.
• new research centers
• policy-oriented research
disciplines and approaches
academic approach
• political science: how terrorism influence political system, policy-making
• military science: force to counteract
• conflict studies: why turn to violence
• international relations: who puts on agenda
• communication: role of media
• psychology: behaviour, thoughts, characteristics
3
