Revisiting the Concept of Terrorism in Modern Society

• In Event: Modern Day Terrorism

Abstract

This study aims to address the problems involved in defining and applying the concept of “terrorism” in modern societies. It highlights the problem of lack of consensus among scholars regarding the delineation of the various dimensions of the concept of “terrorism” and its connection to such concepts as violence and crime. It further discusses the lack of global strategies to combat terrorism owing to, among other things, the duplicity of standards in determining what would or would not constitute an act of terrorism. The study also highlights the role of social media in politicizing the concept of terrorism. In addition, it examines Arab endeavors to combat terrorism including the new mechanisms utilized in the Arab context to achieve that objective. The study employs the Labelling Theory as a framework for explaining the problems involved in traditional and modern interpretations of the concept of terrorism and understanding this rather intricate phenomenon.

Author

• Ahmad Falah Alomosh, University of Sharjah