NCJ Number
224358
Journal
Studies in Conflict & Terrorism Volume: 31 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 723-735
Date Published
August 2008
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the influence of Western institutions in the context of the War on Terror.
Abstract
This article draws on precepts of systems theory to explain the “War on Terror” as a conflict over the penetration of Western institutions into other societies. It is noted that the basis of American grand strategy should therefore be encouraging greater reach of institutions that continue to enjoy global appeal despite policy differences. The authors posit that the goal of Islamist terror groups is most usefully conceptualized as lowering levels of dynamic density within the international society to prevent Western institutions from supplanting local ones, and that expressing the conflict in terms of relative influence permits a definition of the issue of contention that is said to be currently lacking. Significant background from a theoretical standpoint is provided on the structure of world politics, to include neorealism and polarity; international society; networks and the properties of systems; transnational terror networks; and the concept of distinct international societies constituting a system. Notes