The DOI matches its Crossref record.
Betraying a certain corruption of mind: how (and how not) to define ‘terrorism’
Abstract
A common assumption underwriting much counterterrorism activity is that terrorism, by definition, is necessarily morally wrong. One aim of this paper is to challenge this assumption by defending a novel definition of ‘terrorism’ that makes the morality of terrorism a question to be answered by the application of moral theories to specific terrorist acts, rather than by definitional fiat. After surveying definitions of ‘terrorism’ current in the literature and identifying criteria for a more adequate definition, the paper explicates and defends a novel definition of ‘terrorism’ that can ground serious inquiry into the moral status of specific acts of terrorism.
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There are many conflicting definitions of radicalization, violent radicalization, and terrorism.
“There are many conflicting definitions of radicalization, violent radicalization (Kundnani, 2012; Sedgwick, 2010), and terrorism (Shanahan, 2010).”
From Collective case formulation in situations of violent radicalization: A critical perspective in training (2023) · cites this paper as Shanahan, 2010
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Cites
No references could be resolved yet.
Research works printed but not linked: 29
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Johnson-Lafleur, J., Zoldan, Y., Frounfelker, R. L., & Rousseau, C. (2023) · Transcultural Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/13634615221134932 · Cited by 3
Metadata
- Authors
- Shanahan, T.
- Affiliations
- Loyola Marymount University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Shanahan, Timothy
- Venue
- Critical Studies on Terrorism
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2010-08-13
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 173-190
- ISSN
- 1753-9153 (ISSN-L)
- 1753-9161
- OpenAlex
- W2040468946
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 3.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Critical Studies on Terrorism (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › War, Ethics, and Justification
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Philosophical Ethics and Theory
- Keywords
- definition of terrorism, counterterrorism, moral theory, political violence
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