Hello and welcome back to another blog post! This reflection will be short but interesting, as we just completed a quick sprint on the topic of terrorism. This project consisted of watching a few documentary episodes on different aspects of terrorism in the name of liberation, revolution, god, and state sponsored terrorism. We also participated in two Socratic seminars on the topic, and further built our understanding through group research.
From the information gathered, here are some of the ideas and points that stood out to me the most.Β
π€Why it Matters: Terrorism is an act or omission committed with specific intent and purpose, typically done for a political, religious, or ideological reason to intimidate the public.
β’ These actions can often blur the lines between resistance and terror.
β’ The same act can be seen as heroic or horrifying, depending on whoβs watching.
πΌοΈThe Big Picture: Liberation is the end goal and terrorism is the tactic on how to reach that goal.
β’ Many movements use violence because the peaceful options do not allow them to reach the same outcome.Β
β’ Liberation and terrorism collide in groups like the IRA, FLN, Palestinian resistance, Nelson Mandela, and the African National Congress.
β Reality Check: The terms βterroristβ and βfreedom fighterβ often get intertwined depending on who you ask.
β’ Definitions of terrorism shift based on ideology, politics, and history.
πΊοΈThe Backstory: One key turning point was the 1946 bombing of the King David Hotel.Β
β’ Killing 91 people, the attack was one of the earliest examples of modern terrorism, where violence was not only a tool of war but a media-driven event.
β’ Many civilians that were uninvolved with the conflict died, signalling a shift toward media-oriented terrorism.Β
βοΈYes, but: Terrorism is a strategy, not a side and both oppressors and the oppressed use it.
β’ History often relabels terrorist as heroes once they win.
πThe Other Side: States also use terror tactics seen through Franceβs torture of FLN suspects.
β’ Other examples include Britain’s interment and surveillance in Northern Ireland, and Argentinaβs Dirty War with disappearances and torture.Β
Between watching documentary episodes, we grouped up to go deeper into one specific person, idea, or thing from each video watched. Some of things I learned about through this process included:
β’ The idea of media-oriented terrorism, where terrorists specifically complete acts to gain the mediaβs attention and influence public opinion. Two key groups who followed this idea were the Islamic State who used high quality propaganda and social media to portray their violence as a global movement, and Black September who staged the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis to capture global media attention and spotlight the Palestinian cause.
β’ The cult of personality, when a leader uses mass media, propaganda, and charismatic authority to create an idealized, heroic, and at times worshipful images, often unquestioned by followers. This is seen through Abimael GuzmΓ‘n who developed a similar mindset within the Shining Path.
β’ The religious and social factors that led to 9/11. These were ultimately shaped by a mix of religious rhetoric and deep social injustice. While al-Qaeda leaders like Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri used religious language to justify violence, their motivations were also tied to political, economic, and social factors.
β’ Whether or not torture is ever an acceptable/ethical method used by groups and individuals. This is one of the most controversial ethical issues in law, war, and human rights as it raises questions about morality, justice, and the limits of state power. Looking into whether torture can ever be justified-especially in war-forces us to confront the tension between individual rights and collective security.
You can also look more into my studies below β¬οΈ
The Socratic seminars were a key stepping stone in this project as they were our way to showcase our learning. We completed these in the same fishbowl format as last project, completing meaningful discussions to answer one or two driving questions. During the seminar in the last project I felt that I would just speak when nobody else was to fill the silence on top of my other contributions. So, with that in mind, I focused on making more meaningful comments backed by evidence and thoughtful connections. I believe I improved, though I still found it challenging to jump in with additional insights which is something Iβll continue working on.
Overall, this was a very interesting topic to learn a little bit about, and was a transition into our final humanities project for the year which you will be able to read about in a few weeks! Lets just say we are heading into a world where influence runs deep, loyalty gets tested, and things arenβt always what they seem.
-Makenna
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