URBAN TERRORISM - BASELINE DATA AND A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

• NCJ Number: 61979
• Journal: Social Science Quarterly Volume: 52 Issue: 3 Dated: (DECEMBER 1971) Pages: 521-533
• Author(s): P A KARBER
• Date Published: 1971
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Texas Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE EXTENT OF TERRORISM IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT IS EVALUATED, AND A THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE OF TERRORISM IS PROPOSED THAT DIFFERS SOMEWHAT FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY OR COUNTERINSURGENCY MODEL.

Abstract

INDICATORS OF URBAN TERRORISM IN THE UNITED STATES ARE THE RISING NUMBER OF BOMBING INCIDENTS AND THREATS AND THE SENSATIONAL DISCOVERY OF VARIOUS BOMB PLOTS AND CACHES. MORE BOMBINGS OCCUR IN URBAN AREAS THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. ALTHOUGH THE MOST FREQUENTLY EMPLOYED CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR DISCUSSING DOMESTIC TERRORISM IS THE REVOLUTIONARY MODEL, NEITHER THE NUMBER OF BOMBINGS NOR THE POLICE AMBUSH CASUALTY RATE INDICATE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF GUERRILLA WARFARE. NEVERTHELESS, MANY SOCIAL COMMENTATORS ASSUME THAT THE ONLY FUNCTION OF TERRORISM IS REVOLUTIONARY, AND THEY DENOUNCE SUCH BEHAVIOR AS UNREALISTIC AND PATHOLOGICAL. OTHERS VISUALIZE URBAN TERRORISM AS THE VANGUARD OF GUERRILLA WARFARE. TERRORISM IS OFTEN CONFUSED WITH REVOLUTION DUE TO THE RADICAL LEFT'S JUSTIFYING IDEOLOGY AND THEORETICAL DEPENDENCE ON WRITINGS OF CARLOS MARIGHELLA, THE LATE BRAZILIAN REVOLUTIONARY. THE SYMBOLIC CONCEPT OF TERRORISM PROVIDES TWO CRUCIAL DISTINCTIONS, BETWEEN TERRORISM AND REVOLUTION AND BETWEEN TERRORISM AND OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE. AS A SYMBOLIC ACT, TERRORISM CAN BE ANALYZED MUCH LIKE OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION IN TERMS OF FOUR BASIC COMPONENTS: (1) TRANSMITTER (TERRORIST); (2) INTENDED RECIPIENT (TARGET); (3) MESSAGE (BOMBING OR AMBUSH); AND (4) FEEDBACK (REACTION OF TARGET). A PREPOSED TYPOLOGY OF COMMUNICATIVE FUNCTIONS OF TERRORISM ENCOMPASSES COERCIVE BARGAINING, SOCIAL PARALYSIS, ADVERTISEMENT AND RECRUITMENT, AND SOCIAL CONSCIENCE. TO HYPOTHESIZE THAT TERRORISM CAN BE A MEANS OF INTEREST ARTICULATION DOES NOT LESSEN ITS SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OR MITIGATE THE SUFFERING OF VICTIMS. LIKEWISE, VIEWING TERRORISM AS A SYMBOLIC MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION DOES NOT INDICT THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMITMENT OF ITS PRACTITIONERS. ANY ATTEMPT TO CATEGORIZE TERRORISM MUST DEPEND ON A TARGET ACQUISITION ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIORAL CONSEQUENCES. TABULAR DATA ON BOMBINGS, THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES VERSUS INCENDIARY DEVICES, AND CASUALTIES FROM BOMBINGS AND AMBUSHES ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)