Root Causes of Terrorism

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Root Causes of Terrorism

• Presentation by
• Dr. Tore Bjørgo
• Senior Research Fellow,
• Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
• and
• Professor of Police Science,
• National Police Academy, Oslo

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Invalidated myths about causes of terrorism

• Poverty There are only a weak and indirect
  relationships between poverty and terrorism

• State sponsorship of terrorism not a root cause
  to terrorism, but an enabling factor

• Religious fanaticism Suicidal terrorism is not
  caused by religion as such, but religion may give
  shape to and justification of political extremism

• Madness Terrorists are not insane or irrational
  actors

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Preconditions for terrorism

• Lack of democracy, civil rights and the rule of
  law

• Failed or weak states

• Rapid modernization

• Illegitimate and corrupt governments

• Powerful external actors upholding corrupt regimes

• Extremist ideologies (secular or religious)

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More preconditions for terrorism

• Historical traditions of political violance,
  civil war, revolutions, dictatorship or occupation

• Hegemony and inequality in power

• Repression by foreign occupation or colonial
  powers

• The experience of discrimination on the basis of
  ethnic or religious origin

• Failure by the state to integrate dissident
  groups or emerging social classes

• The experience of social injustice

5
Precipitants of terrorism

• The presence of charismatic ideological leaders

• Provocative events triggering violent responses

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Factors sustaining terrorism

• Terrorism may continue for other reasons than
  what gave birth to it, such as

• Cycles of revenge

• The need of the group to provide for its members
  or for the survival of the group

• Profitable criminal activities

• No exit from violence and extremism

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For more information

• Check our
• Knowledge Base on Terrorism and International
  Crime
• http//www.nupi.no/English/
• (click Research on the top menu)