Abstract
“Terrorism” remains “essentially contested” in its meaning and yet it is often and uncritically used by various actors. Here, I draw from and modify the Copenhagen School’s securitization theory to outline a “terroristization” approach. This terroristization approach is useful in studying and analyzing when rhetoric of terrorism is used and its sociopolitical consequences. A terroristization approach can be used to study how acts, actions, events become understood as “terrorism” as it focuses attention on how the term “terrorism” is used during specific interactions, what terrorism means, and to the sociopolitical and ethical implications of labeling practices. In doing so, it also draws attention to spaces and modes by which the usage of “terrorism” can be questioned and challenged. Additionally, a focus on the meaning-making of terrorism directs attention to how various violent acts are legitimated in different contexts and the self-other identities produced in the process of labelling actors, events, acts as “terrorist” (or not). This chapter also outlines a brief example of the consequences of terroristization, focusing specifically on post-9/11 debates and discussions on surveillance and monitoring by the US state.
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Notes
- 1.
For more information on the report, please see the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU’s) coverage of torture at: http://www.thetorturereport.org/. Harris and Mak (2014) have some additional features of the Report. Mazetti (2014) describes how there is a lack of accountability for those authorizing and conducting such acts.
- 2.
For a comprehensive overview of the developments of this and related programs, please see The Guardian’s “The NSA Files” web site at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/the-nsa-files.
- 3.
The Associated Press first made the story public and the outcome of its investigations can be found here: http://www.ap.org/Index/AP-In-The-News/NYPD.
- 4.
- 5.
Hansen (2012) footnote no. 2 summarizes a series of readings on desecuritization and how it relates to the ethico-political aspects of security.
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Dixit, P. (2016). Securitization and Terroristization: Analyzing States’ Usage of the Rhetoric of Terrorism. In: Koch, B. (eds) State Terror, State Violence. Staat – Souveränität – Nation. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-11181-6_3
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