David Brannan PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

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adherents with the violence perpetrated in their name in Northern Ireland. Clearly this would be
an illegitimate attribution of violence to many who oppose it yet still call themselves nationalists.
An exploration of the theoretical difficulties past researchers have faced will assist in outlining
how we might move toward a more productive and accurate investigation of the matter at hand.
Analytical frameworks or prejudicial mandates?
Beyond the definitional difficulties –and yet closely related– are the more general
problems with existing analytical frameworks. As stated above, the current use of the term
‘terrorism’ as emanating from the Terrorism Studies community is at once recognized as a
negative label. Thus, when researchers attempt to study these ‘terrorists’ they are essentially
compelled to assume a negative posture toward them. To do otherwise makes the researcher
immediately suspect as a probable spokesman for the groups or ideologies in question or at least
dangerously, insouciant to the peril they pose. More specifically as it applies to this context, a
close association with Identity adherents is seen as a foolishly dangerous practice, which is
unnecessary because of the existing literature. 229
Thus definitional problems already mentioned are not the only challenge for an accurate
understanding of Identity theology. Theoretical difficulties have also challenged this research.
Two of the most popular analytical frameworks currently used for explaining “terrorist”
behavior are critically discussed in some detail below. Such a discussion is necessary in this
dissertation since the frameworks in which Identity theology is generally viewed contribute
significantly to the current misinformation and lack understanding concerning it. These
229 This belief has been driven home to the author on numerous occasions by “terrorism studies”
researchers who suggest that a researcher who talks to “terrorists” is likely to become a spokesman for the
“terrorists.”