Course : PO620
PROTEST, CHANGE AND INTEGRATION IN INDIA
TERRORISM AS PROTEST
Term Paper
By
Tanaka Tabassum
M. Phil
Second Semester
CPS/SSS/JNU
Terrorism as Protest
The debate on Terrorism as a form of Protest is assured to be shrouded in controversy, emotion, inaccuracies and downright confusion. Protest can be defined as the mechanism to ensure change and stability in a society. Though there is a general understanding of the word protest, the word Terrorism has no single definition. Engagement with the dynamics of Liberal Democracies have shown that though these states provide the space for protest but a constant endeavour on their part is to avoid rebellion and counteract forces of terrorism. Studies have also highlighted the fact that liberal democracies by providing the space for democratic rights and by allowing the space for protest control the growth and development of terrorist activities.
This paper would therefore like to explore the definition of Terrorism, the different forms of terrorism and with the help of a case study would like to understand whether terrorism can be seen as a valid form of protest and if so how can it be morally or ethically justified.
Defining Terrorism
A general understanding of the word terrorism involves the use or the threat of use of violence as a means of attempting to achieve some sort of effect within a political context. John Horgan argues that it is when we go beyond the general tone of such a definition and the broad consensus that the problem arises. He argues that from a psychological perspective, an important characteristic in distinguishing terrorism from other kinds of crime involving murder or violenc ...