Final Draft Thesis Paper.pdf - Brandeis University

asocietyorsubgroupwithregardtoviolenceanditsjustificationmustbeconsidered”(Mahan&Griset,10).Oftenthereisa“cycleofrevenge”whereonegroupretaliatesfromviolencecommittedagainstthem(Mahan&Griset,10).Severalotherscholarsofferotherexplanationsforthemotivationsbehindactsofterrorism.Forexample,LaurenceMiller’sdescriptionincludes:“athree‐stageprocess.Stageonebeginswithunacceptableconditions:“It’snotright.”Stagetwofollowswithresentmentandasenseofinjustice:“It’snotfair.”Instagethreethecauseoftheinjusticeispersonified:“It’syourfault.””(Mahan&Griset,10).Thoughthisexplanationdoesnotalwaysreigntrueforthemotivationsbehindsterrorism,itdoesofferamodelthatworkswellforothers.OtherscholarssuchasMarthaCrenshawandJeroldM.Postapproachtheissueofmotivationsfromapsychologicalperspective.Crenshawfocusesonthepsychologicalforces,whichcreatethemotivationforterrorism,whilePostfocuseson“psycho‐logic”,which“isconstructedtorationalizeactstheyarepsychologicallycompelledtocommit.Individualsaredrawntothepathsofterrorismtocommitviolence”(Post,25;Mahan&Griset,10).Otherpsychologicalexplanationsfocusonfamilybackground,upbringing,andsocialstructure(Mahan&Griset,10).InTerrorism in the Twenty­First Century,CindyC.Combsidentifiesgroupdynamics,religion,age,sex,education,economicstatusandlocationtobekeycontributorstothemotivationbehindactsofterrorism.Groupdynamics“helps toshape terrorist thought and action”(Combs,61).Usuallythesegroupsarefanatical,believingthattheyknowtherealtruthandonlytheycanchangewhattheyperceive8