Assignment 2: The Culture of Terrorism
Sharlet Van Kruistum
June 26, 2010
Sociology 201
Prof. Mark Ihnat
Terrorism is a word with no definition. It’s a term that even the leaders of the world cannot agree on. A term used for violence in which every human has a divergent relation and reaction to. Every individual defines the term terrorism in a different way from their neighbour, basing the definition on their own experiences in life. Some of the closest individuals to this term can be defined as terrorists, although they may not define themselves as so.
Although many have tried to define the character traits, upbringing and socialization of a terrorist, it is hard to pinpoint a specific profile. In fact Rex A. Hudson states that, “ the personalities of terrorists may be as diverse as the personalities of people in any lawful profession.” (Hudson, 60) Many are born into poverty or refugee camps, experiencing challenging trials through their childhood, and into teen years. However there is always a rare case of a terrorist who grew up in a caring, functioning home, who throws off this stereotype. In the majority of cases a terrorist is born into an environment that fuels their specific form of terrorism, whether that be a form of ideology, religion, or an oppression of rights. A terrorist finds themselves in a group that shares a common goal and belief as them, a group that in the case of terrorism is extreme and encourages them to take on strong action for the beliefs of the group as a whole. Hudson goes on to state that,
Contrary to the stereotype that the terrorist is a psychopath or otherwise
mentally disturbed, the terrorist is actually quite sane, although deluded by an ideological or religious way of viewing the world. (Hudson, 60)
Hudson pushes the point that terrorists are sane, somewhat normal individuals that are simply mislead by their social surrounding and environment, mainly by the leader of their group specifically....