difficulty of finding general explanations for
terrorism and contends that it is possible to
distinguish different types of variables as a
starting point for further research on causal
relations. Her work differentiates between
three groups of variables: strategic, structural, and psychological.
In an effort to increase understanding, let’s
look more closely at the possible motivations
of terrorists.
A brief review of the academic literature
suggests a wide range of theories articulated
by scholars in hopes of explaining the motivations leading to radicalization and terrorist
activity. These can be categorized broadly as
sociological motivations and psychological
motivations.
SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS
A
ccording to Jeff Victoroff, the sociological factors might include
relative deprivation (i.e., poverty),
oppression, and/or national culture factors.
The first of these sociological theories is what
scholars refer to as deprivation theory, which
suggests that economic disparities and poverty causes terrorism.
More recently, increasing differences between the material welfare of the haves and
38 | JOURNEY OF HOPE
have-nots have been postulated to provoke a
new era of political violence that will accelerate as globalization not only creates new foci
of poverty, but facilitates communication
among those who perceive themselves to be
the victims of globalization.
A second theory proposed, also within the
sociological camp, focuses on the issue of oppression, which in their view provokes political violence.
A final theory from the sociological perspective includes what scholars have referred
to as the national and cultural motivations of
terrorism.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS
In contrast to sociological theories that
emphasize factors influencing the behavior
of an entire group, psychological theories of
terrorist behavior primarily emphasize individual factors.
The first of these psychological theories
focuses on identity. It has been proposed
that candidates for terrorism are young people lacking self-esteem who have a strong
or even desperate need to consolidate their
identities.
A second psychological approach places
its attention on what Harvard psychiatrist
Robert J. Lifton referred to as absolutist or
apocalyptic theory. In it, he suggests that
cults and apocalyptic groups envision mass
destruction as a path toward replacing the
corrupt world with a pure new social order.
The third psychological theory deals with
humiliation — and the consequent internal
pressure for revenge — and has been hypothesized to drive terrorist violence. Revenge
for humiliation by an oppressor is, in fact, an
ancient cultural tradition with direct links to
the current violence in the Middle East.
A fourth theory on terrorism focuses on
group psychology within idiosyncratic subcultures that coalesce in reaction to circumstances they perceive as intolerable. For
these scholars, membership in a terrorist
organization offers disciples a heady liquor
of a well-defined personal role, a righteous
purpose, the opportunity for revenge for
perceived humiliations, and the lifting of
constraints on the expression of otherwise
prohibited behaviors, all of which free the
member from personal responsibility for attacks on out-groups.
RADICAL JIHADISTS
What do we know and what could be said
about radical jihadists? A striking similarity
among many radicalized jihadists is how little they actually know about Islam and the
Qur’an.
Those who join violent extremist groups
rarely have formal training or disciplined
religious teaching. In fact, in most cases
they have no more than a rudimentary understanding often shaped by online sources
or talking to extremists online. Akil Awan, a
lecturer in political violence and terrorism at
Royal Holloway, University of London, suggests that those drawn to jihadism usually are
raised in largely secular households or possess only a rudimentary grasp of Islam that
rarely extends to religious practice. Research
shows in many cases these would-be jihadists
were hardly strict adherents to Islam’s major
tenets before turning to violence.
Awan points out this crisis of identity often leads minority individuals to a dislocated
sense of self, one characterized by alienation
from the mainstream and parental cultures.
These susceptible youth who succumb to
emotional and psychological schizophrenia
soon begin to feel a sense of increased isolation, of not belonging to eith \