Author: Dr. Dayyab Gillani
Summary:
This paper addresses the semantic and etymological roots of terrorism, emphasizing the significance of ‘terror’ in its context. Despite the attention given to these elements, fundamental questions about the nature, process, object, and impact of terror remain largely unanswered. The lack of a formal theory and conceptualization in terrorism studies complicates the matter, leading to conflicting perspectives among scholars. The central focus of this paper is on understanding ‘terror’ as a prominent characteristic of terrorism. The paper aims to fill the theoretical gap by systematically examining the functioning of terror and its implications for the phenomenon of terrorism. It identifies thirteen interrelated factors, including violence, political, credibility, repetition, coercion, communication, direct/indirect targeting, deliberate, symbolic, recipient of violence, random/indiscriminate, psychological dimension and overreaction. The way terror functions is usually through a credible threat of future harm, demanding some form of political compliance, communicated utilizing a secondary target that has symbolic resonance with a primary target, consequently affecting it at a psychological level and generating some form of fear. Terrorism can be regarded as a form of violence that directly impacts human psychology, exploiting insecurities and vulnerabilities to exaggerate the perceived threat it poses. The emotional overreaction triggered by terrorism, both in psychological terms and the subsequent physical response, is highlighted. By systematically exploring the multifaceted aspects of terror, the findings aim to contribute to ongoing efforts in theorization and conceptualization in the field of terrorism studies.