earticle

영어

In the differing dynamics of the world today, terrorism has taken on many shapes, connotations, and meanings. The origin of the word terrorism can be traced to Immanuel Kant who used it to reflect a pessimistic view of man’s destiny, and to the English who used it to describe the Jacobins of France during the ReignofTerror. To date, there are roughly 109 different meanings used worldwide. Some definitions are broad enough to be applied to uniformed conflicts and some are specific enough to exclude some of the most obvious terrorists. Law enforcement organizations often include specific types of terrorism in their definitions and the type of actors who perpetuate them, while political or administrative organizations focus more on the effect and impact of the terrorist act. Unless there is a globally accepted definition of terrorism that clarifies and bounds the term, research and conversations regarding the characteristics and defining features of terrorism will lack consistency. In order to reach such a definition the perspective of both actors and victims of terrorist actions need to be considered. This paper will explore the different uses and definitions of terrorism, how these definitions have
evolved to reflect events, and compare definitions across professions and countries. Finally, a draft definition that encompasses and reflects current ideologies is proposed.