Summary of Parker & Sitter (2016): The Four Horsemen of Terrorism: It's Not Waves, It's Strains
0 purchase
Course
Terrorism and Counterterrorism (8912306Y)
Institution
Universiteit Leiden (UL)
Summary of Parker & Sitter (2016): 'The Four Horsemen of Terrorism: It's Not Waves, It's Strains' for Terrorism and Counterterrorism from Security Studies
The four horsemen of terrorism: it’s not waves, it’s strains
Argument against the four waves theory of David Rapoport
David Rapoport's article provides the basic conceptual framework for many courses on the subject of
terrorism. He identified four waves of terrorism:
1. Anarchist wave (started with Russian populist group in 1880s)
2. anti-Colonial wave (1920s to 1960s)
3. New Left wave (1960s to end 20th century)
4. Religious wave (beginning 1979 to now)
> Predicts that Religious wave might dissipate by 2025 and that new wave might emerge
> He acknowledge existence of other group that didn’t fit the template → but those were outliers
> Criticism is that Rapoport took analogy too far (he states ‘when a wave’s energy cannot inspire
new organizations, the wave disappears’ → problematic as there is no evidence that this actually
happens)
It is our contention that the strategic and tactical choices terrorist organizations make play an
important role in the evolution of terrorism
> Dynamic exchange of ideas between groups
> Some ‘outlying’ groups have had significant impact on the evolution of terrorism
We therefore propose an alternative framework for analysis, based on the idea that terrorism
comes in four different strains and that there is an important element of ‘‘contagion’’ both within
and between these separate strains
1. Nationalism
2. Socialism
3. Religious Extremism
4. Social Exclusion
> Using Ganor’s definition of terrorism: ‘the intentional use of or threat to use violence against
civilians or against civilian targets, in order to attain political aims’
Terrorist groups as learning organizations
Non-state organizations learn both from direct experience and from the stories they develop to make
sense of that experience, as well as from experiences and stories generated by peers
> learn from rivals’ successes → also contagion effect for terrorist groups in respect to approach and
ideology
> several modern terrorists expressed that they want to be example for others → propaganda of the
deed
The main causal mechanism in Rapoport’s work is historical context
> The first Anarchist Wave emerged with new technological developments that made travel and
communication easier, and in turn made it easier for ideas and doctrines to be transmitted across
boundaries
> radical movements and organizations learn from their contemporaries but spread of ideology and
tacts it limited to given time and space → idea that each wave is characterized by common narrative
about the enemy
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller sannevienna. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.28. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
