NCJ Number
215004
Journal
Social Forces Volume: 84 Issue: 4 Dated: June 2006 Pages: 2027-2046
Date Published
June 2006
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This article describes the theory of categorical terrorism, a type of terrorism seen in increasing frequency.
Abstract
Revolutionaries employ a strategy of categorical terrorism. This is a strategy where revolutionaries threaten or attack what might be called “complicitous civilians.” These complicitous civilians are believed to routinely benefit from the actions of the government or state that the revolutionaries oppose, support the government, and/or have a substantial capacity to influence or to direct the government or state. This type of terrorism has been employed by insurgents with increasing frequency. This article begins with a definition of terrorism and revolutionary terrorism. It then discusses several existing theories of terrorism, followed by an outline on the theory of “categorical” terrorism. References