political geography 4
Module Discussion: Political Geography
Look at the text’s definition of terrorism. Modify it or create your own definition. Respond to the following question: Should we draw a distinction between “terrorism†and “war†as separate concepts? Explain your reasoning by writing 150 words and responding to at least one other student.
student KS:
As defined in our chapter notes, terrorism is “the systematic use of violence by a group in order to intimidate a populace or coerce a government into granting demands” (p. 150). Based on this definition, I do believe that terrorism and war are two separate concepts. War is a conflict between two different groups. On the other hand, terrorism is violence used by only one group to intimidate others. This is a major difference between the two. To explain, war is something that both parties engage in. On the other hand, terrorism is when one acts upon another. The difference here is that although people may not like war, both parties are participating because there is some type of conflict. This is not the case with terrorism, as an act of terror is usually unwarranted because the terrorists want to attack. Additionally, war may be started due to an act of terrorism and a nation or state feeling the need to respond. However, terrorism usually is not a response to an ongoing war.
