Global Social Work 2021 Midterm Question #3
Who are the terrorists in your own country? Think about what Post says, and what Zimbardo says, about how to prevent violent extremism and acts of evil, and also what you are learning about global social work. Briefly describe a social work intervention to mitigate the terrorism.
The definition of terrorism is one that has been of much controversy recently in the United States. At its root, terrorism is violence, but not all violence is considered terrorism. The main factor of making terrorism what it is lies within the act being politically motivated and radical. These acts of violence are done out of a cause to change a specific sociopolitical issue or a certain governmental power.
ReplyDeleteTerrorism exists within this country and beyond. The US has recently seen a surge in domestic terrorism where acts of violence have been at the hands of white supremacists. Due to the color of their skin, many have been reluctant to title these mainly white men as terrorists due to the US’s long upheld stereotype of Muslim terrorists. Acts of terrorism beyond this country is due to the rise of transnational terrorism that can be directly related to globalization. Transnational terrorism is what the US has been accustomed too, creating a certain type of stereotype for terrorists. Globalization has posed the threat of terrorism due to the constant evolution of technology that has negatively impacted poorer nations. Middle Eastern countries were once places that the US thought they could safely invade that quickly turned the opposite. The US has ruined parts of the Middle East with war and in return have gained many enemies. The threat of transnational terrorism is still very real when speaking about ISIS, Boko Haram, Hezbollah, Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and many more. But what we have not been accustomed to is the domestic threat of terrorism that has been on the rise, almost unnoticed, since the early 2000s.
White supremacy has and still remains, the biggest terror threat to the United States. From school shooters to police brutality of black and brown people to lynching, the US has a very big problem on their hands. Both global and internal terrorism threats should be dealt with first by the FBI/CIA which should serve to enforce laws and investigate using highly trained specialists. These specialists should be able to investigate the ideological views of the terrorist organizations and the origins of their violence. These units should try to prevent acts of violence in order to ensure the protection of the citizens at large. With that being said, there is always the risk of slipping through the tracks and in the case of domestic white males, the privilege of not even being on the radar. As race tensions have risen in the US, the use of terrorism to refer to white supremacist groups has increased, yet reluctantly. It would be difficult to intervene as a social worker on the global scale of terrorism, but one that we must discuss in regards to domestic terrorism. By enforcing systemic equality for black and brown people, the system we have will start to root out white supremacists.
As a social worker, it is important to reinforce ideas to togetherness and equality with our clients. In order to prevent acts of terrorism in the realm of white supremacy, we must educate everyone on the power of systemic oppression. White supremacy is rooted in the inability to connect with someone of a different skin tone than you, and in order to break that we must be able to exemplify and exude compassion. Fighting terrorism with more violence will only reinforce the idea that people who are against white supremacy are violent. The best way to shrink that opinion is to be peaceful and show empathy towards our neighbors. Social workers need to emphasize inclusivity, positivity and cultural awareness without singling people out. This will help continue to push our society in the right direction.
1. Borgeson, K. (2018). Right-Wing Domestic Terrorism. Terrorism in America, 26–35. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456010-3
2. Post, J. M. (2005). The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 23(4), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.658
3. Zimbardo, P. G. (2011). Lucifer Effect. The Encyclopedia of Peace Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470672532.wbepp149
Hi Emma, I definitely agree with you that violence is the root to terrorism in the United States. Specifically talking about violent acts that are politically motivated and radical, while relating this to white supremacists is a valid accusation. The belief that white people are superior to other races and thus should have control over society is immoral and unfortunately a huge issue in our country. You mention that through enforcing systemic equality for people of color the system we have will start to root out white supremacists. Considering this idea, the concept of “positive peace” can play a huge part in supporting systemic equality to diminish white supremacy. Grodofsky proclaims, “Positive peace refers to the creation of a reality characterized by social justice, political participation, ecological balance and economic equity (Reardon, 1988). Positive peace has been associated with processes seeking to eradicate “hunger, poverty, ignorance, exploitation [and] unemployment” (Bess, 1993, p. 182). It seeks to address the social and economic conditions that hinder human development and includes the recognition of both individual and collective rights (Shivji, 1989). The concept constructs a broad arena for proactive peace building activity. Positive peace suggests that the active pursuit for its realization requires movement towards the creation of a more socially just reality” (p. 47). As you can see the purpose of positive peace is to create a true, lasting, and sustainable peace with justice for all individuals throughout the world. I believe if we as future social workers help educate society on positive peace, we can accomplish what you mention and gain systemic equality for people of color and constrict the white supremacists.
DeleteWork Cited:
1. Grodofsky, Merav Moshe. (2007). The Contribution of Law and Social Work to Interdisciplinary Community Development and Peace Building in the Middle East. Journal of Community Practice, 15, 45-65.
3. Terrorists in the United States can be seen as privileged people. Throughout time the privileged have been causing other individuals to suffer resulting in oppression. Privileged groups influence the interactions between state institutions and all other societal groups. State defines mutual rights and obligations, negotiating how public resources should be allocated and establishing different modes of representation and accountability. People are entitled to the following rights: to enjoy a nationality, to vote, hold office, and participate in political processes; access to education, health, and other goods; access to the labor market beyond the informal sector; to own businesses, land and other forms of property; and to the security of residence and freedom of movement. Unfortunately, the operation of state is formed through ignorance and selfishness obtained by the privileged and not everyone has access to the above rights. Privileged people along with their privileged communities have formed state to put distress on unprivileged people and their communities. Post arranges 4 goals with great potential on how to prevent violent extremism: (1) Inhibit Potential Terrorists from Joining the Group, (2) Produce Dissension Within the Group, (3) Facilitate Exit from the Group, (4) Reduce Support for the Group and Its Leader (Post 2005). Post further explains, “All of these goals are components of a strategic communication process that must be a central component of our anti-terrorist policy” (456). His policy can be used as a start to reduce terrorism for those who have consistently been oppressed by the privileged. Zimbardo brings up another inspiring way to put an end to these inhumane acts, defined as heroism. As mentioned in his Ted Talk Zimbardo claims, "The goal of heroism is to promote socially responsible behavior and actions that serve the greater good” (Zimbardo 2008). Based on the knowledge obtained from SOWK 654, this idea can primarily improve society as a whole. Cultivating the mindset of people to step up and act on the behalf of others despite the risks, is what needs to be executed globally to put an end to acts of evil.
ReplyDeleteWork Cited:
1. Post, Jerrold. (2005). The new face of terrorism: Socio-cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and Law, 23, 451-465.
2. Zimbardo, P. TED: The Psychology of Evil. 2008.
https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_the_psychology_of_evil?language=en#t-1244987
Hi Mia, thanks for sharing this response. I agree with you that the terrorists in America, are privileged. This idea of domestic terrorism is not something new, but only something we have recently began to label as terrorism. We see how bias the media is and how it can transform a domestic terrorism attack into “man kills 3 at shopping center.” The title of the ladder has no mention of any type of terrorism act because the people who committed the act were white. There is a stereotype in America that terrorists can only be terrorists if they’re black, brown or speak another language. We have seen first-hand that this is not true. I think that Post has the right idea of how to start to dismantle terrorism, but I don’t think it’s exactly what we need. I find the Post article to be extremely dated and not really give a lot of detail into how we can find a solution to this problem. If we are talking about terrorists from another part of the world that’s a different story. But when we are talking about domestic terrorism that has its roots in American fundamentals it’s deeper than what Post discusses. I also was wondering what groups you were referring to when saying “privileged”. I think there is a lot of white privilege that has long hurt the American dream, but your post did not specify.
DeleteHi, Mia. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I also think that criminal acts cannot be called heroic. And it is very wrong that only privileged individuals decide very much. It is wrong that the privileged have so much control that they can influence politics.
DeleteHello, Mia. I am grateful for your opinion and thoughts. I agree with you that committing crimes cannot be considered just and commendable, because crimes will always remain crimes. I think when all people commit a crime, they must be held accountable for it equally, whether you are rich or poor, the crimes committed do not change from that. I also agree with You that you cannot privilege individuals to have so much power or decide everything just because they are known, rich, or of a different rank. I do not think it is right that such persons subjugate the state and justice. My view would be for equal rights, a crime committed when everyone would be punished, in accordance with the law, and the hardships or circumstances of the crimes committed. Yes people's knowledge, and they can trust law enforcement, "the state".
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ReplyDeleteTerrorism is a growing problem in international relations. Although in the last 20th century there has been a positive fight against terrorism, but it has not disappeared. So we can say that terrorism poses a serious security threat to the global community, and therefore to the Republic of Lithuania as well.
ReplyDeleteIn Lithuania, the concept of terrorism was established in 2004. June 15 The programs of the Republic of Lithuania to terrorism have been updated in the framework approved by the State Defense Council decision. For the purposes of this national document, terrorism is understood as the use of violence based on political, ideological, religious or racial, ethnic origin or threatening to use violence against natural persons, authorities or organizations. Fortunately, in Lithuania we don’t have cases of terrorism. But still there is possibility that Lithuania may become a potential target of international terrorism. So in the fight against terrorism, the Lithuanian has adopted many national legislations. Another important area of prevention of international terrorism is the fight against illegal migration and the control of legal migration.
As Post says: “Contrary to popular belief, terrorists are not crazed fanatics. Indeed, terrorist groups expel emotionally unstable individuals; after all, they represent a security risk. It is group, organizational and social psychology, with a particular emphasis on collective identity, rather than individual psychopathology, that is the foundation of terrorist psychology“ Zimbardo says that sometimes good people do bad things and social influences can have a negative impact on our lives. Reading those minds I totally agree that we should pay special attention to young people, who are more easily involved in terrorist groups. Social workers can be those people who takes responsibility talk with youth, answer their questions, help them find their puprose of life, show them that there are so many good things in life, help understand that violence has negative impact on their lives.
1.https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/dc61fcd0fe8a11e6ae41f2dbc54c44ce?jfwid=rivwzvpvg
2. Gutauskas, A., Kalesnykas, R., & Petrošius, D. (2004). Terorizmas ir jo prevencijos Lietuvoje problema. Jurisprudencija, 63(55).
3. Vasiliauskienė, V. (2008). Teroristų veiksmai kaip ginkluotas užpuolimas. Teisė, 66, 99-111.
4. Post.J. M, The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism.
5. Zimbardo, P. G. (2011). Lucifer effect. The Encyclopedia of Peace Psychology.
The terrorists in my own country (America) are our people. Terrorists are the ones that have the privilege to live life without any concerns. The ones that do not have to go through the pain of terrorists. The ones that stand around and do not have a word or a comment to say about the topic. In America, it is called white supremacist; we do not call it how it is; we have had many terrorist attacks, but America covers it and thinks it is okay to call it something else. For example, we have the most recent case of a terrorist attack on Asians. On March 16, a man named Robert Aaron Long opened fire on a business in the Atlanta area with several Asians in that business. Six out of his eight murder victims were Asian women. The new media called it like a regular shooting in Atlanta. It was not called a terrorist attack toward the Asian community and culture.
ReplyDeleteBeing in a place like this has made me think about the things we could do to change it. We do not need to just stand around and think it is normal to have different shootings going around our country just because one person does not like that culture or race. Zimbardo gives different views of how to prevent violent extremism and act of evil. It is more of a personal thing that one could do evil if they wanted to do evil. Something that he said that made me go wow was “...social and psychological research reveals how ordinary, good person can be transformed without the drugs.” No one needs to use drugs and use other users to change and transform the mind of others. Most of the heroes are ordinary people. Just like Zimbardo said, “Heroes are ordinary people whose social actions are extraordinary those who act,” taking action is what is needed to stand up and come out forward to the world. Terrorism should not be something we should be okay with it. We should make it seen more often we go on pretending that it does not exist.
As a social worker, it is extremely important to stand together and support our clients. Terrorism is something that we should talk about more often—educating everyone about the oppression that has been going around through the years. We hear about racism and how the whites pull the trigger without any charges and any guilt. At the same time, people of color and different ethnicity suffer every day without knowing what we are going to expect. We should not fight with violence; we should fight with our minds and the power of movement to make the new generations more educated of what has happened in the past and not relive it again. We should have more cultural awareness, have more outstanding ordinary people, and speak of what is happening around us.
Word Cited:
Richard Fausset, N. (2021, March 19). 8 dead in Atlanta Spa Shootings, with fears of Anti-Asian Bias. Retrieved March 22, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/17/us/shooting-atlanta-acworth
Zimbardo, P. (n.d.). The psychology of evil. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_the_psychology_of_evil/up-next?language=en
Hi Mercedes! Your comment made me clear how similar but yet different the experiences of terrorism have been in America and Europe. In the "old continent", white supremacism still remains in the background, making its way more meandering and hidden than other forms of terrorism. I completely agree with you when you say that we shouldn't go along with the presence of terrorism in our countries, actively trying to take actions against it.
DeleteHi Mercedes,
DeleteThank you for bringing to light the ignorance of America and the American media referring to terrorism as white supremacy. It is very disturbing especially right now with the shootings over the last couple days that the word "terrorist" is avoided when done by white people. I like what you said about fighting with our minds rather than with violence. It reminds of of Zimbardo's ted talk where the black man who saved the white man at the train station said he did what anyone would do but he really did what anyone should do.
When we think about terrorism probably the first image that appears in our minds is dying people and bombing. However, terrorism has different forms and it may not only be related to extremist groups. In Lithuania we have different types of terrorism which are intolerance towards different opinion and it results in humiliation, psychological pressure or sometimes violence. Moreover, computer hacking or cyber terrorism is becoming more often and it relates to data breach and blackmail of people. Post analyses two types of terrorists that are socio-revolutionary and nationalist separatist. He claims that these groups are dangerous because “they are not seeking to influence the West but to expel the West” (Post, 2005). This is the reason why people think that terrorist are psychologically unstable but it is not true. According to Post, “terrorist groups expel emotionally unstable individuals; after all, they represent a security risk. (Post, 2005). Post emphasizes the importance and influence of social aspect as joining the group “led to enhanced social status” (Post, 2005). Most people who join extremist groups are young so it is important to take care the well being of young people because they feel that “they are blocked in societies where there is no real possibility of advancement” (Post, 2005). Firstly, when people want to have equal social status, it is necessary to have access to proper education “providing economic support to education reform” (Post, 2005). Secondly, financial status plays an important role as well. According to Post, members or particular groups get “financial and material support from the organization and community” (Post, 2005). When people are not able to satisfy the basic needs because of financial problems, they tend to choose alternative and not the best ways to do this. What is more, we all are social beings and relations with others, being part of a community are very important. When person is expelled from a community, he feels alone and evil can start flourishing. Post explains that “with no other means to achieve status and ‘‘success,’’ the organization’s success becomes central to individual identity and provides a ‘‘reason for living,’’ (Post, 2005). Finally, Zimbardo discusses how the haterd towards other society appears and claims that “it requires a psychological construction embedded deeply in their minds by propaganda that transforms those others into “The Enemy” (Zimbardo, 2007). Today, in the age of technology, it is very easy to shape the minds of young people using television, movies, internet or advertisements. However, Zimbardo says that “our nature can be changed, whether toward the good or the bad side of human nature” (Zimbardo, 2007) thus if we take all actions that are necessary to ensure people’s social life, terrorism can be mitigated.
ReplyDelete1. Philip G. Zimbardo. (2007). The Lucifer effect: understanding how good people turn evil. Random House Incorporated.
2. Post, J. M. (2005). The new face of terrorism: Socio-cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behav. Sci. & L., 23, 451.
Terrorism in Italy is a rooted and polymorphous phenomenon. It has been carried out by numerous and diverse organizations, with heterogenous methods and motivations. It went through different waves, from the 1960s until today.
ReplyDeleteThe first terroristic wave occurred from the 1960s until the 1980s. For about twenty years, Italy had to deal with attacks designed by diverse political forces, especially from ultra-left groups fighting with the intent of turning upside down the current political order in the name of a different future. Politicians were killed, bombs detonated in public places. These were the so called “Years of Lead”, remembered by the old Italian generations as times of fear.
From the late 1990s to the 2000s, a fresh wave of political terrorism, consisting of severe yet sporadic episodes, broke out again in Italy. This time, the anarchists carried out the terroristic episodes.
The 1990s were also the battlefield of different criminal organizations, such as Mafia in Sicily. A sadly known example is the one of the Capaci bombing, in which Giovanni Falcone, a magistrate, his wife and some agents lost their life.
A third wave of terrorism could be considered the one of Islamic terrorism, that has developed differently from any other European country. The reasons at the base of this statement are multiple, such as the fact that Italy, in the 2000s and still in the 2010s, had not faced the second and third generation of immigrants yet; moreover, Italy based terrorists were mostly considered lone wolfs: individuals underwent a self-radicalization: they acted individually, trying to reach jihadists groups.
The troubled past proved to be the trump card for coping with this new situation, as Italy has been able to adjust its counter terroristic forces thanks to its previous experiences of political terrorism and organized crime. As a fact, the Counter-Terrorism desk was established within the General Prosecutor’s Anti-Mafia Office
Italian terrorism, in all its periods, could be taken as a litmus test for what has been described by Post (2005). Between 1960 and the early 2000s, a regime of collaboration developed between terrorists who had spilled out of the formation, and the state, to gather details about the attacks. In particular, the legal practice of “pentitismo”, has generated a very positive trend, helping affiliated to get out of organized crimes gangs, obtaining a reduction of the penalty.
However, there is still a huge work to do: prevention starts with avoiding radicalisation of every type. We do not fully know the psychology of terrorist, and to discourage the participation in the attacks, we need to understand what pushes them to do so. These people carry with them a clear idea of how things should go, together with a strong identity belonging. This is also referred to the episodes of women suicide bombers: according to Bloom (2005), many are the reasons why a woman wants to join the fight: to revenge their families and heritage, to disrupt cultural norms that see women less valued than men, even when it comes to commit this kind of action.
The end of the tunnel of terrorism is still far from being reached, and for sure it won’t be solved in a short time. What all people can do is to reflect on the power and consequences of their own actions. Where the change is possible, especially among youngsters, the State must intervene with educational programs, in the prisons, with actual re educational programmes and services. The State has the responsibility for doing this, or it will be held accountable forever.
1.Bloom, M. (2005) ‘Mother. Daughter. Sister. Bomber.’, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 61(6), pp. 54–62
2.Jacobs, A., & Salvati, L. (2015). (Rep.). NATO Defense College. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep10284
3.Post, J. M. (2005). The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 23(4), 451–465
4.Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York, NY: Random House.
Hi Sofia, I really enjoyed reading your post. I found it very informative. And I agree with your thoughts on how we should pay more attention to prevention, because prevention starts with avoiding radicalisation of every type. As well as, that countries has to work on educating young people because they are susceptible to influence. And, I suppose, a lot of countries still needs to work on an actual re-education process and programs in prisons.
DeleteQuestion 3.
ReplyDeleteWho are the terrorists in your own country? Think about what Post says, and what Zimbardo says, about how to prevent violent extremism and acts of evil, and also what you are learning about global social work. Briefly describe a social work intervention to mitigate the terrorism.
Any violent, coercive act is a form of terrorism. Having their own opinions, aspirations, goals, pursuing them through violent, coercive acts, violates morality and human nature. Having their own opinions, aspirations, goals, pursuing them through violent, coercive acts, violates morality and human nature. Terrorism is the politically motivated and pre-planned and continued use or threat of the use of illegal coercion against civilians or objects by anti-systemic, non-governmental actors seeking to change the current socio-political situation through intimidation of society or parts of society.
According to Zimbard, heroism is not aimed at being valued by others because it is performing a duty that most people believe in. In my opinion, terrorism cannot achieve any result. But followers of terrorist attacks think otherwise. The beliefs of one person or group of people, the goal pursued, must be pursued in a peaceful way. None of the individuals or political units involved, that are attacked by terrorist attacks is a way to achieve a goal through violent, terrorist attacks. Pursuing justice with revenge is the same form of crime. Global social work is a tool to spread the message of peace-building based on the knowledge that differences are not bad. Being different is unique. Everyone’s opinion is important, but it must respect the other person’s opinion and must be represented peacefully.
In reducing terrorist attacks, extremist attacks, it is important that people understand that different races, different religious beliefs are not bad. Knowledge of different customs, races, people's beliefs is the key to a peaceful world. From an early age, educate children about the perception that everyone is different and that is good. Often, perpetrators of terrorist attacks say they have pursued ambitious goals and are pursuing peace in their own way. But creating a world in this way is even more confusing and the response is even more violence. Children and society need to be educated that violence is the worst tool for achieving a goal, or peace. It is important that from an early age, children are educated to understand not only their race and religion, but to know about other races and religions.
1. P., Zimbardo, (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House. Chapter 1: The psychology of evil; Chapter 16: Resisting situational influences and celebrating heroism. Prieiga per internetą: http://www.lucifereffect.com/index.html and the Stanford Prison Experiment: http://www.prisonexp.org/.
In Lithuania, the concept of terrorism was approved in 2004 June 15. The program has been updated taking into account the prevalence of terrorism in the world, the experience of the international community in the fight against terrorism and the emerging problems of terrorism prevention in Lithuania. Terrorism is understood as the use or threat of politically, ideologically, religiously or racially, ethnically motivated violence against natural persons, authorities or organizations, as well as the destruction or threat of destruction of property or objects, endangering human life, causing large-scale loss or the commission of other acts dangerous to the public in order to violate public security, intimidate the citizens of the state or force the authorities to take certain actions.
ReplyDeleteThe social threat of terrorism can be accepted with the conditions of the National Security System and the development reports conclude that the current political, social, economic, national situation and historical experience of Lithuania do not create conditions for the formation of a large-scale threatening network of domestic terrorist groups. However, the threat of terrorism may be a greater manifestation of political extremism, a pronounced socio-economic division.
As Lithuania becomes more and more integrated into the world community, it is necessary to take measures to prevent the country from becoming a place of terrorist acts or a transit corridor for terrorists. All measures used in the field of national security of the Lithuanian state are called counter-terrorism measures. The following stages of the fight against terrorism or control of terrorism can be distinguished: a) prevention of terrorism, b) elimination of a terrorist act, c) investigation of a terrorist act. It is stated that various state institutions are involved in the implementation of these terrorism control measures, which take the necessary measures to prevent the phenomenon of terrorism from taking effect in Lithuania.
Zimbardo argues, that social psychology suggests terorists are mostly ordinary people, driven by group dynamics to do harm for a cause they believe to be noble and just.
Virtually anyone, under the right or rather the wrong circumstances, could be led to perpetrate acts of extreme violence. And so it is for terrorists. From a psychological perspective, the majority of adherents to radical groups are not monsters much as we would like to believe that.
The two main measures to combat terrorism as a social phenomenon are: the promotion of respect for human dignity and the comprehensive instrument of clarifying the precise basis for the activation of terrorism and only then the fight against them.
An action plan is needed to minimize the specific causes of terrorism and gradually develop respect for human dignity and tolerance of another culture.
I think educational activities from an early age are very important. It is important to explain what terrorism is and what the consequences may be.
Aurelijus Gutauskas, Raimundas Kalesnykas, Terorizmas ir jo prevencijos Lietuvoje problema Jurisprudencija, 2004, t. 63(55); 24–45
Paršaitis A.,”Civilinës saugos departamentas apie terorizmo grėsmę“, http://195.182.90.36/news/ naujienos_det.asp?id=178&menuo=Birželis, 2004 11 15.
Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York, NY: Random House.
Great post Leva! I completely agree with you on the fact that it is important to explain what terrorism is and what can happen to it. In my middle school, I remember talking about the 9/11 terrorist attack that happened in New York and that was it. We did not have a further discussion about any other acts of terrorism. I believe that educating others will help people understand what terrorism is and what the media is trying to cover up and hide from us. When you mentioned how Lithuania has these stages of the fight against terrorism, that reminded me of Post’s similar goals to end terrorism. The four goals are to inhibit potential terrorists from joining the group, produce dissension within the group, facilitate exit from the group, and reduce support for the group and its leader (Post 2005). Our countries are both finding proactive ways to prevent terrorism from happening. One question I do have for both of our countries is what are the consequences for the person/group committing the attack and are they similar or different between the different countries.
DeletePost, Jerrold M. “The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism.” Behavioral Sciences & the Law, vol. 23, no. 4, 2005, pp. 451–465., doi:10.1002/bsl.658.
Hi Lina, thanks for sharing your response. I agree with you that when Zimbardo talked about preventing evil, it described the intervention to decrease terrorism. Terrorism is a threat to another kind that is planned to do more harm than good. Global social work is a great form to express and show what is happening around us. As you said, it is a way to spread the message of a peacebuilding base of knowledge. In America, we are aware of what is happening around us because of social media, and the people around us let us know. I agree that children should be more aware of the seriousness of terrorism in our country and community. We see acts of terrorism every day, and we need to start making more of a vice about it. When you said that our society needs to be educated about violence and the worst tools for achieving these goals and peace, I agreed with you. Children need to get a better understanding that there are different races and religions.
ReplyDeletePART 1:
ReplyDeleteIn the United States, the most visible domestic terrorists are white supremacists and far-right political supporters. The danger with this specific group of terrorists is that they often receive pardon from our society for their atrocious actions because their mindsets highlight the deep-seated conservative and traditionalist values that America was founded on. There are a plethora of examples of recent alt-right attacks, but the most appalling one is the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, which occurred on January 6, 2021. This attack was planned as a result of former President Donald Trump’s loss for re-election, and was meant to represent an attempt to “take back” Congress and the White House for their beloved ruler. Rioters forced their way into the Capitol building and proceeded to wreak havoc by occupying the building, looting the offices of politicians they opposed, and vandalizing the governmental building in any way they could. The attacks took an even more violent turn when news came out that protesters were equipped with semi-automatic rifles and guns, bombs, and Molotov cocktails. The messages portrayed within this protest, if not already evident, were aggressive in nature towards a variety of communities, such as anti-Semitic and racist messages on t-shirts worn by rioters, gallows set up on Capitol Hill, and clad in American flag paraphernalia which is sometimes attributed to immense statements of nationalism and American pride.
As is explained by Philip Zimbardo, evil ensues when individuals are led by a leader that tells them what to do, but not explicitly how to achieve certain goals. In this case, former President Trump spent the months after the initial election results vigorously tweeting about the unfairness of the election, and how he, as well as his supporters, must not and will not stand idly by as “injustices” are committed. With this kind of framework, supporters were charged to defend the majority position they held that they believed was going to crumble when President Biden and Vice President Harris took office. As a result of Trump’s hateful rhetoric, a target was identified by his supporters. This target included the entire government that “allowed” for Trump to lose, as well as any opponents of his presidency. Without any insight into the kinds of actions that Trump supporters were allowed and not allowed to display, the sky became the limit. Additionally, no one identified individual took responsibility for the actions that took place in early January, so it allowed for even more conformity and anonymity. This lack of identity leads people to do unimaginable things, and protesters even believed that there was strength in numbers and that they could massacre politicians and overturn the government entirely if they wanted to (which is why many of them came equipped with dangerous weapons.) When a leader supports and does not denounce horrible actions, then perpetrators of such actions are almost excused of any personal responsibility because the highest authority permits the violence. Zimbardo states that blindness to mistakes, lack of mindfulness in the situation, lack of accountability, idealization of an authority figure, the inability to separate the need for group acceptance and the need to remain true to personal values, and the sacrifice of personal or civic freedom for the illusion of protection and safety all contribute greatly to the idea that good people can turn evil. All of these principles are seen within the 2021 American Capitol riots.
PART 2:
DeleteBoth Zimbardo and Post provide examples of ways to combat violent extremism and acts of evil. In Zimbardo’s view, the most important way to steer clear from transitioning between a relatively good person and one that perpetuates evil acts is to maintain a sense of independence, even within group settings. Additionally, the sense of independence will allow for a person to recognize the potential risks and responsibilities that come with certain actions, and how these will reflect on them and their livelihoods in the present and in the future. In a group where anonymity is present, it is easy to forgive yourself for heinous crimes because “everyone was doing it.” However, if we hold ourselves and others responsible for our actions, whether positive or negative, they will become more balanced, stable, and also those that we can be proud of. Post, on the other hand, identifies four ways in which he believes that we can stop individuals from essentially turning to the “other side” before it is too late. It is my belief that we, as social workers, can use all four of his identified methods in our practices. The strategies are as follows: to inhibit potential terrorists from joining the [terrorist] group, to produce dissension within the group, to facilitate a means of exit from the group, and to reduce support for the group and its leader. In regards to our current problem in America with terrorists that are highly supported by the government, a goal for social workers could be to focus on the fourth and final objective listed by Post. We can work to dismantle white supremacy by holding equity and diversity seminars in workplaces, libraries, government offices, and other public areas to spread the message that hateful actions are not tolerated in our society, and that they produce detrimental effects for all those that experience it. Additionally, teaching the idea that nationalism does not necessarily equate to traditionalism, and that support for the citizens of the United States starts with the inclusion of ALL citizens across race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation. In many of these areas in which white supremacy is most prevalent, there have been few conversations across identities. Social workers can work on equality and acceptance through the means of education of the group. Once domestic terrorists start to work through some of the anger that they feel within a changing society, and recognize that their views do not have to infringe on the rights and livelihoods of others, then some of the tensions may start to ease and fall.
1. Zimbardo, P. (2013). The lucifer effect understanding how good people turn evil (Unabridged.). Random House.
2. Post, J. (2005). The new face of terrorism: socio‐cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 23(4), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.658
Terrorism is commonly defined as the intentional use of violence and intimidation, which is directed to a large group of people to force a community (government) into accepting politically or ideologically motivated demands (Krieger, Meierrieks, 2011). The State Security Department of Lithuania states that the level of the terrorist threat in Lithuania remains low, so to us this problem seems to be less relevant. But as the world becomes more global, our relatives and friends are scattered all over the world, we travel more, this problem is getting closer to us as well.
ReplyDeleteThe causes of terrorism should be discussed first. Krieger and Meierrieks (2011) states that transnational terrorism is more likely to occur in non-democratic, highly populated and unstable countries. A certain social environment, widespread grievances together with certain factors - all together can lead to the emergence of terrorism. Poverty, social inequality and exclusion, demographic factors, political grievances may have an impact on this (Newman, 2006). There are many different factors and all are very important. We should take into account the roots of terrorism and focus on them.
What social work interventions can contribute to reducing terrorism? I would like to build on one of the ideas expressed by Post (2005) about the most effective ways of countering terrorism. He says that it is necessary to inhibit potential terrorists from joining the group. It is important for social workers to work with young people, to educate them, to empower them to be politically active and to make it clear that violence does not solve the problems. Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment revealed how a person 's behavior can change after placing him in a certain situation. The experiment showed that under certain circumstances, even orderly, good, stable people can turn into sadists (Zimbardo, 2007). A situation can influence a person’s behavior more than internal personality traits. Social work interventions should focus on how to prevent situations that makes people to do evil things. Social workers should contribute to peace building, poverty reduction, promote social justice, equality, education in societies where terrorism is common.
References:
1. Edward Newman (2006) Exploring the “Root Causes” of Terrorism, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 29:8, 749-772, DOI: 10.1080/10576100600704069
2. Krieger, T., & Meierrieks, D. (2011). What causes terrorism?. Public Choice, 147(1), 3-27.
3. Post, Jerrold. (2005). The new face of terrorism: Socio-cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and Law, 23, 451-465.
4. Zimbardo, Philip. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House.
For four years the terrorist mobilization has been affecting Europe, but it is the transformation of jihadism that worries Spain. A study carried out between 2013 and 2015 of all those who were arrested for crimes or alleged crimes of jihadist terrorism, together with the foreign component of jihadist terrorism in Spain, mainly of Moroccan origin, the emergence of an indigenous jihadist terrorism or homegrown has taken place. It has its main focuses in Ceuta and Melilla, although Barcelona continues to be the main scene of jihadist terrorism in Spain (metropolitan area). Most of those arrested since 2013 were residents of Barcelona. Among the jihadist detainees, there are more than significant percentages of women and converts. This data collides with the number of those convicted or killed for activities related to jihadist terrorism in Spain from 1996 to 2002, among whom there was no woman and only one convert.
ReplyDeleteWhile those arrested in the last four years, an average age of 28.8 years is estimated. Only one in ten of the jihadists or alleged jihadists detained in Spain since 2013 was involved alone, the rest were involved in groups or with other individuals of the same ideas and in networks. These terrorist networks had radicalization and recruitment as their main function. Although they often carried out proselytizing and financing or, to a lesser extent, operational and training tasks. These different functions were carried out mainly with reference to the so-called Islamic State, to a lesser extent the Al-Nusra Front (a branch of al-Qaeda in Syria) and other jihadist organizations active in the Middle East and North Africa, with which, in the In the vast majority of cases, the networks to which the detainees were linked had some kind of organizational connection. (Alonso, M. 2007)
Zimbardo points out that the line between good and evil is not something permanent and waterproof, as the privileged think, but is mobile and permeable. Those who considered themselves privileged ("good people"), could be seduced and crossed. In the same way that those who were in the bad area could also recover and go to the good side (although this was not very common).
“If people are the actors on the stage, but you'll have to be aware of the situation. Who are the cast of characters? What's the costume? Is there a stage director?" Where you have to pay special attention is factors external to the individual. The system is the one with the power. The system creates the situation that corrupts individuals, and the system is the legal, political, economic and cultural background. (Zimbardo 008). So if you want to change a person, you will have to change their situation. And if you want to change the situation, you have to know that where the power is is in the system. This is the Lucifer effect that Zimbardo proposes to us, in understanding the transformations of human character. Wondering questions like: What do people bring to the situation? What does the situation get out of them? And what is the system that creates and maintains that situation?
Milgrom quantifies evil as the willingness of people to blindly obey authority. This happens when you are in a new or unfamiliar situation. Your usual response patterns are not working. Your personality and your morality are separated. "There is nothing easier than denouncing the bad guy; nothing more difficult than understanding him, Dostoevsky tells us." Understanding is not excusing. Psychology is not "excusology". Social and psychological research reveals how normal and good people can transform without drugs. Needless.
DeleteAlexander Solzhenitsyn says that the line between good and evil cuts the hearts of all human beings. That means the line is not out. It is a decision that you have to make. Is personal.
And what can be done against this? If we cannot prevent terrorism and, therefore, evil from existing, we will have to fight it. Heroism is the way we deal with it. Heroic imagination must be promoted especially in children (educational system). As Zimbardo says, we want children to think: "I'm a hero in waiting, waiting for the right situation to come along, and I will act heroically. My whole life, I'm now going to focus away from evil -- that I've been in since I was a kid -- to understanding heroes. Now his idea of heroism is normal people doing heroic deeds ”. We want to get children to see that most heroes are normal people and that the heroic act is rare, in a way that motivates them to be a part of it. Most children have been taught not to get into what is wrong with them, but humanity is everyone's business. To be a hero you have to get out of the ordinary, you will always go against the conformity of the group. Heroes are normal people in social actions that are extraordinary because they act.
“I'm neither the good cop nor the bad cop, Jerome. Like you, I am a complex amalgam of positive and negative qualities that arise or not, depending on the circumstances. "
References:
Alonso, M.(2007). “LA IMAGEN DEL TERRORISTA EN LA NOVELA ESPAÑOLA ACTUAL”. Lectura y signo, pp.325-354. halshs-00129394v3
Post, J. (2005). La nueva cara del terrorismo: fundamentos socioculturales del terrorismo contemporáneo. Ciencias del comportamiento y derecho, 23, 451-465.
Zimbardo,P. (2008) TED: La psicología del mal.
Link:https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_the_psychology_of_evil?language=en#t-1244987
According to Global Terrorism Index 2020 (measured by Institute for Economics and Peace) Lithuania is considered to be a country with a very low impact of terrorism. Lithuania is ranked in 115 place (together with countries such as Jamaica and Sierra Leone) out of 135 countries. But I strongly believe we should never think about terrorism as of something which is somewhere “out there“ because without further ado it can become something “out here“.
ReplyDeleteLithuania as a part of Shengen Area (26 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders) is responsible for sefety inside the Area because Lithuania has external borders of the Area. And while in Lithuania there is no favourable environment for development of mass terrorist attacks and extremism, there is a high probability that my country may become a transit location / a corridor for various terrorists, who try to reach their targets in Western or Central Europe.
One great documentary film director, Deeyah Khan tried to show us the reasons of terrorism. She tried to understand why some of young Muslim people in Europe are drawn to extremism and violence. She spent two years interviewing former jihadists and extremists, trying to understand why these young people are susceptible to groups like this. And she was surprised to find wounded / broken human beings, instead of the monsters she was looking for. There are people with parents who prioritise honour over children, kids with abusive father, as well as, the ignorance of the country they were born in. Extremists or terrorists groups are taking advantage of these feelings and cynically channeling that towards violence. Encouraging to reject bouth sides (family and country) and come to them, because they will provide the safety, significance, heroism, a sence of belonging and purpose, a community that loves and accepts them (everything they craved entire their live). These groups make the powerless to feel powerfull, the invisible – visible. The very similar idea is revealed in Zimbardo’s (2007) “Stanford Prison Experiment“, which shows how people will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play, especially if the roles are as strongly stereotyped as those of the prison guards. So, feeling powerful and the master of you own life is the key. I strongly agree with the idea that we need to understant why young people are attracted to terrorism, what can we as a community do to change that, and more important what can we as a global social workers do to help not to choose a destruction. And without knowing the reasons these people have, we will never be able to provide solutions.
1. Khan, D. (2016). What We Don’t Know About Europe’s Muslim Kids. www.ted.com/talks/deeyah_khan_what_we_don_t_know_about_europe_s_muslim_kids
2. The Institute for Economics and Peace – https://www.economicsandpeace.org
3. Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House. Chapter 1: The psychology of evil; Chapter 16: Resisting situational influences and celebrating heroism.
Question 3.
ReplyDeleteTerrorism is a bit different in Lithuania, such as trafficking in human beings, the fight against illegal migration, as Lithuania is in a very high position in terms of trafficking in human beings. In Lithuania, we have a very large human trafficking network, which, as we can see, is very successful. Yet is mainly trafficked young men (for labor), young women (for prostitution), children (for marriages). I think we have a lot of gaps in the state on this, because human trafficking is not declining. Well, in Lithuania, the concept of terrorism was established in 2004. June 15 The counter-terrorism programs of the Republic of Lithuania were updated in accordance with the system approved by the decision of the National Defense Council.
According to the Post, "Contrary to popular belief, terrorists are not crazy fanatics." I think with this in mind, the author wants to say that terrorists don’t necessarily have to be thoughtless, and crazy about killing, or terrorism. Such propaganda usually involves young people without a family, the poor (even the poor), even children. I believe that young people should be given more attention, more working with them (e.g. more attention paid to social workers, psychologists, mentors). Many of the terrorist acts committed, which involved young people, were not done out of evil, but out of bad advice, persuasion, intimidation, and mostly out of a lack of money.
1. Post.J. M, The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism.
2. https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/dc61fcd0fe8a11e6ae41f2dbc54c44ce?jfwid=rivwzvpvg
3. When I hear the word terrorism, I think first of the attacks, the violence, the deaths, the explosions. In Lithuania, terrorism as a phenomenon can be understood in various ways: politically, socially, legally, ethnically, historically, economically and even militarily (Gutauskas, Kalesnykas, Petrošius, 2004). The word terrorism is often associated with political confrontation, street riots, uprisings and wars. From a social point of view, terrorism is compulsion, violence and other similar actions (Gutauskas, Kalesnykas, Petrošius, 2004). In my opinion, the reason for the emergence of terrorism is that more and more human rights and freedom of choice are being violated, which is why people are trying to be equal through terrorism. One of the reasons for the growing trends in terrorism: social inequality, ethnic and religious discord, poverty, refugee problems, and so on (Dranseikaitė, 2006 ). Post (2005) said, groups are fighting to determine a new political order or state based on ethnic dominance or homogeneity. They are carrying on the mission of their parents and grandparents who have been damaged. Also, stated that people organize terrorism because ‘‘killing in the name of God’’. Terrorism is based on aggression and revenge. It reveals the view that a good person begins to do a bad things in an effort to meet the natural and normal needs of security, knowledge, and love (Zimbardo, 2007). Aiming to prevent terrorism (Post, 2005) says the need to ensure the security of young people, to ensure that they are not alienated, to educate them about the future of the system and to reform education reform. Post (2005) says that people’s despair, desperation and loathing need to be reduced and the state must meet the security needs of citizens. To strive to free people from immoral behavior, to fight for influence and to become a good citizen (Zimbardo, 2007). I think social work can reduce terrorism. I would draw attention to the Post (2005) view that the safety of young people needs to be ensured in the family and in society. Apply violence prevention, help identify feelings, and reduce aggression. According to Zimbardo (2007), promote love and reform education so that young people have the knowledge and feel safe. To promote freedom of self-determination, to ensure equal opportunities and non-discrimination. I believe that this would help to reduce terrorism.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
1. Gutauskas A., Kalesnykas R., & Petrošius D. (2004). Terorizmas ir jo prevencijos Lietuvoje problema. Jurisprudencija, 24–45.
2. Dranseikaitė, E. (2006). Globalizacija ir naujo tipo grėsmės: terorizmas. Lietuvos metinė strateginė apžvalga, 17–32.
3. Post, J. M., Stout, Chris E., & Felthous, Alan R. (2005). The new face of terrorism: socio‐cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 23(4), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.658
4. Zimbardo, Philip. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House.
1.History shows that women have been socially and economically oppressed for a very long period of time. This important issue still remains in some parts of the world, especially in Africa. Women were forced to take care of the nature and hold the responsibility for their families. Educating women about the importance of the nature and its gifts is a very significant solution to the problem. Education and access to income and finance (even if in modest amounts) can do a lot to promote well-being for women and their children (Sen, 1999). As Wangari Maathai has said in her Nobel Peace Prize speech in 2004, she has experienced forests being cleared and replaced by commercial plantations, which destroyed local biodiversity and the capacity of the forests to conserve water. This caused women to be unable to meet their basic needs. The Green Belt Movement (GBM) was founded by Professor Wangari Maathai in 1977 under the auspices of the National Council of Women of Kenya (NCWK) to respond to the needs of rural Kenyan women who reported that their streams were drying up, their food supply was less secure, and they had to walk further and further to get firewood for fuel and fencing. The Green Belt Movement helps women feel more secure and empowered. This movement helps by improving the livelihoods of women, who plant trees. By doing so, they manage the environment and also help women financially, so they can be better caretakers for their families.
ReplyDeleteSen, A., (1999). Development as Freedom. New York: Random House, hence DAF.
Sen, A. (1998). The possibility of social choice. Nobel Prize in Economics Award Lecture. Available at: http://nobelprize.org/economics/laureates/1998/sen-lecture.html
https://www.greenbeltmovement.org/who-we-are
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2004/maathai/26050-wangari-maathai-nobel-lecture-2004/
I really like your idea when one of the ways to solve problems is to educate women themselves about the gift of nature. I think it’s always valuable to appreciate what we get naturally. I agree with you that even a small income is a great start, you need to create something more. As they say, a great start is half the job. I believe when there are endless resources in every human being that can help with even the most complex problems. I believe that planting trees gives women self-confidence, a habit of their lives, a deeper self-knowledge of what is absolutely necessary. I think when every hard job, when it’s overcome, allows a person to tell myself how much I’ve done and how strong I am within myself, how I am able to do such things. And perhaps in this respect, the strongest point of view for women was not material costs, but self-awareness, the basis of their strength, and the ability to "carry" their strength on the path to further life.
Delete3. Terrorism is one of the most extreme international problems and one that is constantly a big topic of discussion in the US, especially since 9/11. I believe Zimbardo’s explanation of evil in his Ted Talk “Psychology of Evil” as “the exercise of power to intentionally harm people psychologically, to hurt people physically, to destroy people mortally, and to commit crimes against humanity” fits my understanding of terrorism. Terrorism is an intentional crime against humanity that causes direct harm to citizens often with political goals. The answer to the question of “who” are the terrorists in America would probably differ greatly depending on who and when you ask. After 9/11 many Americans would probably think of Al-Qaeda when asked about terrorists in the United States. However, today terrorism is mostly done by white supremists committing hateful, racist acts. Especially within the last year, police brutality and hate crimes against people of color are very prominent issues in America. Mass shootings in Boulder, Orlando, Parkland, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas and so many others are also terrorist attacks on American citizens. Gun violence and mass shootings in America are very real acts of terrorism that are often not described as that when committed by a white male. However, Zimbardo’s description of the seven social processes that grease the slippery slope to evil in the lucifer effect is present in all of these terrorist attacks. The steps include mindlessly taking the first smalls step, dehumanization of others, de-individuation of self, diffusion of personal responsibility, blind obedience to authority, uncritical conformity to group norms, passive tolerance of evil through inaction, or indifference. As Post describes in his article, terrorist groups put an emphasis on collective identity. (462) He explains, “The survival of the group is paramount because of the sense of identity it provides. Terrorists whose only sense of significance comes from being terrorists cannot be forced to give up terrorism, for to do so would be to lose their very reason for being. (462)”. In order to prevent violent extremist acts of evil there are steps that must be taken. The first is to inhibit potential terrorists from joining the group. This starts by ensuring alienated youth are able to envisage a future within the system that “promises redress of long standing economic and social inequity.” The second is to produce dissension within the group. The third is to facilitate exit from the group. It is important that people who fall into this feel like they hhave options and a way out. Post gives the example of amnesty programs in other countries that can hhelp facilitate exit and protect them. The last is to reduce support for the group and its leader.
ReplyDeleteIn order to mitigate terrorism, social workers can do what they can to implement these preventative measures. One thing social workers can do is help to educate people so they understand that there are other options. It is also important to practice and teach inclusivity since many of the people who fall into these traps feel like outsiders, alienated from society. Social workers can also help work with children to help them figure out their future and passions.
Post, J. M. (2005). The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 23(4), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.658
Zimbardo, P. TED: The Psychology of Evil. 2008.
https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_the_psychology_of_evil?language=en#t-124498
Part 1.
ReplyDeleteTerrorism is a criminal offense involving the use of terrorism (usually unexpectedly) or the threat of violence against civilians or civilian targets, which may cause serious harm to a state or an international organization (Jakevičiūtė, n.d.). Talking about Lithuania, people here can be very happy because we do not have a direct terrorism like in America or France. Unfortunately, looking through the time, we can find moments which show that Lithuanian people had a different type of terrorism. For example, when Lithuania got independent, some serious organisations started doing illegal econimical things such as misappropriation of property, division of territories. Organized criminal groups in Lithuania have finally strengthened in 1991-1992. Clearly, such control could only be exercised by force. Coercion is used to force anyone to obey, pay or neglect. It was also used while explaining the relationship between the groups. These organised groups were doing serious things which are beneficial for them and that would ensure their safety. For example, in 1993 one famous journalist V. Lingys was shot (Gutauskas, 2003). As Gutauskas mentions, Lingys worked in a popular newspaper „Respublika“ which was directly writing about these groups mentioning all names and surnames. Also, loudly talking about their activities. We can say it is a economical and political terrorism that happened in Lithuania after when the independence was given back.
Also, there are very interesting things happening now that we could also say is similar to terrorism. Social media. Social norms. People are scared to be themselves, express their opinion on social media because you never know what response you will get. People comment each other. Internet is full of hate, anger, intolerance. Also, there are a lot of people who stigmatise others for being „different“, not behaving like they would like and so on. As Post says: "contrary to popular belief, terrorists are not crazy fanatics." Everyone can become terrorist if you unduly show your intolerance, misunderstanding, anger to other people, start bullying. To the one who is more sensitive it can cause a really serious damage – depression or suicide. The behavior, people‘s attitude and consciousness should not harm others because we are all free to express ourselves and live how we think is the best. Zimbardo (2007) raises a question: „what makes some of us lead moral, righteous lives, while others seem to slip easily into immorality and crime?“. In my opinion, everything depends on ourselves. Everyone of us can choose how to behave and everyone can make a change. It is very important to stay positive, talk with each other and try to understand why sometimes we want to make something bad to other people instead of doing positive things.
Part 2.
ReplyDeleteTalking about social work intervention to mitigate the terrorism, it is important to mention, that firstly people have to understand their problem and want to change. Social worker can educate, tell how behavior, attitude can be different if we understand the problem which causes that. Also, social worker can help to understant feeling and the reasons of it, then lead to other specialists, who may help client deeper. To sum up, social worker is a specialist who sees what change society needs and he will always find the best way to solve social problems.
1. Gutauskas, A. (2003). Organizuotas nusikalstamumas Lietuvoje: faktinė padėtis ir teisėsaugos institucijų praktika. Jurisprudencija, 49(41); 5–18. Access through the internet: https://repository.mruni.eu/bitstream/handle/007/13395/3300-6920-1-SM.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
2. Jakevičiūtė, J. (n.d.). Terorizmas. Visuotinė Lietuvių enciklopedija. Access through the internet: https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/terorizmas/
3. Post, J. M., Stout, Chris E., & Felthous, Alan R. (2005). The new face of terrorism: socio‐cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 23(4), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.658
4. Zimbardo, Philip. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House.
After searching what the exact definition of terrorism is, many people have sadi that they found it difficult to come up and pin exactly what terrorism is. The FBI describes two different kinds of terrorism, international terrorism and domestic terrorism. International terrorism is “Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups who are inspired by, or associated with, designated foreign terrorist organizations or nations” (FBI). Domestic terrorism is “Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature” (FBI). Knowing about these two definitions can help us understand the different attacks that happen in America.
ReplyDeleteThe terrorists in American are the people living here. The privileged people that do not say anything and only think about themselves are the problem. They believe that they are superior to others and that nothing concerns them when in fact, they are harming individuals.
In schools, terrorism is not talked about enough. We are taught about the 9/11 attack and how people were affected by it and it changed America. After that, terrorism is not mentioned again. Expanding the knowledge of terrorism to people is important because it opens up people’s eyes and shows them that what is happening around the world is terrorism. For example, the shooting that happened in Atlanta left six Asian women dead. He targeted a specific group of individuals because of something that was happening to him. This left many Asian-Americans scared for their life. People in America are living in fear because they do not know if the person next to them could harm them for their culture, race, and many other things.
In Post’s article, he mentioned how “Indeed, terrorist groups expel emotionally unstable individuals; after all, they represent a security risk” (Post). The individual that committed the attack on the Asian American woman in a spa, claimed that he had a sexual addiction and that shootings would ease his temptations. That is not humane at all. People are not allowed to proceed to harm others because of the temptations they have. People are also not supposed to resort to violence when they are feeling “off’ and unstable. This man left the community and affected individuals scared and harmed. As social workers, can validate the feelings of others and provide help for those that are feeling this way.
After watching Zimbardo’s TedTalk again, he mentioned how “The goal of heroism is to promote socially responsible behavior and actions that serve the greater good” (Zimbardo 2008). This resonated with me because if we all learned about his heroism and implemented this into our lives, we would not see such hate in our world. In the future, when we have our clients, we can use Zimbardo's definition of heroism because it puts others first at the risk of our own uncertainty. We are giving our clients or time, attention, resources not knowing what they are going to be doing with everything that we provided them with.
Overall, we social workers need to be educated and value other people's feelings. We want to make sure that people are heard and are receiving the correct resources if they are struggling with oppression or experience an attack on themselves. We need to stand up for others and spread awareness because some people can be too invested in themselves to realize that people are hurting.
Post, Jerrold M. “The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism.” Behavioral Sciences & the Law, vol. 23, no. 4, 2005, pp. 451–465., doi:10.1002/bsl.658.
“Terrorism.” FBI, FBI, 3 May 2016, www.fbi.gov/investigate/terrorism.
Zimbardo, Philip, director. The Psychology of Evil. TED, www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_the_psychology_of_evil?language=en#t-1244987.
ReplyDeleteAs seen in history, acts of terrorism are attacks on a particular group or nation. Two types of terrorist types were mentioned in the Post article, including the difference between social revolutionary terrorists and Nationalist terrorists. However, the United States experiences domestic terrorism. From hate crimes to mass shootings, thousands of victims have experienced some sort of attack due to their gender, sexuality, religion. We are our own terrorists as we use violence to hurt others based on our own beliefs. From the recent events of transgender phobia to Asian phobia to Chinese phobia. Meanwhile, the Post article suggests that there are different acts of terrorism for different reasons.
Zimbardo discusses the Milgram experiment and the results after giving people authority in a certain situation. The Milgram experiment shows how people conform to authority roles and harm the individuals. An example would be bystanders, which have the authority to report a crime but do not. As bystanders of a possible hate crime, they are allowing an act of violence to happen. Zimbardo additionally classifies violence as a disease. Allowing violence to occur will have negative consequences for vulnerable communities.
Also, Zimbardo stresses the importance of incorporating heroism into the system as something that children can follow. As child development is the most significant stage of an individual life, instilling values and beliefs will minimize the chance of them following into the path of evil.
I am learning that global social work gets quite complex as there are many more factors intertwining with the practice. As social workers, we need to be aware of cultural differences and the way we respond to terrorism. A social work intervention to mitigate terrorism is to invoke the idea of heroism. Speaking up when seeing wrong is also a big step to avoid acts of terrorism within our own country.
Work Cited
Post, Jerrold M. “The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism.” Behavioral Sciences & the Law, vol. 23, no. 4, 2005, pp. 451–465., doi:10.1002/bsl.658.
“Terrorism.” FBI, FBI, 3 May 2016, www.fbi.gov/investigate/terrorism
Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House. Chapter 1: The psychology of evil; Chapter 16: Resisting situational influences and celebrating heroism.
Question 3:
ReplyDeleteToday, terrorism is both global and international. Global, as the geography of terrorist attacks has expanded so much over the last little over a decade that there are fewer countries in the world that have not experienced terrorism, than those who experienced it in one way or another. International, because terrorist acts in one country are organized by groups people whose homelands may be within a few thousand kilometers of terrorists attack sites, as well as from each other. Officially named real threats to Lithuania related to terrorism illegal use of deadly (radioactive, biological and chemical) substances and immigration (both legal and illegal) threats. Račius, E. Said that statistics also confirm that nuclear fuel and radioactive waste security in Lithuania remains a concern both for the concerned Lithuanian law enforcement and law enforcement bodies and for the world community, represented by governmental, public and international organizations. The threat of terrorism to Lithuania is fully considered in official documents in another area - social. This refers in particular to the challenges posed by migration.
In the Lithuanian context, this means immigrants and other foreign nationals, who entered the territory of the Republic of Lithuania both legally and illegally. There are no radical politicians in Lithuania motivated organizations or informal groups. Thus, it can be said that the probability of a terrorist attack in Lithuania is very low. However, one aspect is important: money laundering and banking operations to finance terrorist activities. In this case, it is not at all necessary to be terrorists physically reside in Lithuania or plan to carry out an attack on its territory.
„Three psychological truths emerge from Escher’s image. First, the world is filled with both good and evil—was, is, will always be. Second, the barrier between good and evil is permeable and nebulous. And third, it is possible for angels to become devils and, perhaps more difficult to conceive, for devils to become angels“. Zimbardo, P. (2007, p.3). This quote helps to think that disasters can always happen unexpectedly.
1. Zimbardo,P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. Prieiga per internetą: http://translibri.com/pdf/Lucifer_Sample.pdf
2. Račius, E. (2005). Terorizmo globalumas: žvilgsnis iš Lietuvos. [Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review]. 2005, t. 3 (2004), p. 11-38
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ReplyDeleteFor me, terrorism is associated with aggression, attacks, military action, threats of coping, explosions. On the whole, for me, it has to do with people’s cruel treatment of others. And although, based on our knowledge and experience, the word terrorism evokes different associations for each of us, certain definitions prevail. According to Gutauskas, Kalesnykas, Petrošius (2004), from a social perspective, terrorism is associated with forced behavior to do something, violent behavior. I think that people are starting to appreciate the importance of freedom, the ability to do what they want to do, to make their own decisions, and when it is constrained, there is obviously some dissatisfaction, outrage. Also, I think all the negative things that happen stem from the unmet needs of people. In this regard, I believe that a person whose needs are fully met will never do something wrong to others, will not allow negative thoughts to appear in his mind. I also think that the cause of terrorism is the desire to show its power, to show that the opinion or actions of that person or group of people are significant, that can change something. I am referring here both from the positive and the negative side. That by showing their power and significance, people can make both positive changes and destroy everything, take revenge, and the like. According to Dranseikaite (2006), the causes of terrorism are often social inequality, poverty, intolerance of each other's religion. In order to prevent terrorism, it is necessary to constantly think about meeting each of the needs nearby. Given that this is the mission of social work, I believe that by working responsibly we can achieve appropriate change. According to Zimbardo (2007), the aim must be to isolate people from misbehavior, to encourage them to become responsible citizens. I believe that each of us, by setting a good example to those around us, is contributing to the reduction of terrorism and other atrocities.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
1. Gutauskas A., Kalesnykas R., & Petrošius D. (2004). Terorizmas ir jo prevencijos Lietuvoje problema. Jurisprudencija, 24–45.
2. Dranseikaitė, E. (2006). Globalizacija ir naujo tipo grėsmės: terorizmas. Lietuvos metinė strateginė apžvalga, 17–32.
3. Zimbardo, Philip. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House.
According to Račius E. Terrorism as a phenomenon can be understood in different ways, i. y. in political, social, legal, ethnic, historical, economic and even military terms. The process of emergence and formation of the term terrorism is still unclear.
ReplyDeleteIn Lithuania, the concept of terrorism was established in 2004. June 15 The framework of the anti-terrorism programs of the Republic of Lithuania, which were approved by the decision of the National Defense Council, was updated. The mentioned program has been updated taking into account the prevalence of terrorism in the world, the experience of the international community in the fight against terrorism and the emerging problems of terrorism prevention in Lithuania. For the purposes of this national document, terrorism is understood as the use or threat of coercion against natural persons, authorities or organizations on political, ideological, religious or racial, ethnic grounds, as well as the destruction or threat of destruction of property or objects, threat to human life, causing large-scale damage or committing other acts dangerous to society in order to violate public security, intimidate citizens of the state or force the authorities to take certain actions. As can be seen, the concept of terrorism encompasses a number of criminal acts that can be described as terrorist activities. According to A. Gutauskas, the forms of terrorist activity can be different, i. y. may include the following: - the organization, planning, preparation and execution of a terrorist act; - the formation of terrorist groups or membership of a terrorist group; - incitement to commit terrorist activities; - recruitment, training and use of persons in terrorist acts; - financing of a terrorist group and its activities or other support provided to persons involved in terrorism. In the framework of the renewed anti-terrorism program of the Republic of Lithuania, two types of terrorism are distinguished: first, international terrorism, i. y. terrorist activities carried out in the territory of more than one State or directed against the interests of more than one State, or by nationals of one State against nationals and objects of another State in its own territory or in the territory of another State, or where the perpetrator and victim are nationals of the same or different States, however, the offense is committed in a third State; second, domestic terrorism, i. y. Terrorist activities carried out in the Republic of Lithuania are directed against the interests of the State of Lithuania, and terrorist activities are undertaken by citizens of this State.
It is arguable that international terrorism poses a greater threat than domestic terrorism because it involves dangerous crimes against several states and endangers the community of several states. On the other hand, international terrorism is an illegal, anti-global phenomenon that manifests itself through individual acts of terrorism aimed at the generally recognized security of the state community and the values it protects. International terrorist acts seek to negatively affect in any illegal form a part of the state community or protected socio-political, socio-economic values and objects by realizing the motives of terrorists' political, ethnic, religious, moral or social failure.
Literature:
1. Gutauskas, A., Kalesnykas, R., & Petrošius, D. (2004). Terrorism and the problem of its prevention in Lithuania. Jurisprudence, 63 (55), 24-45.
2. Račius, E. Globalism of Terrorism: A Look from Lithuania. Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University. General Jonas Zemaitis Lithuanian Military Academy.
Terrorism is an extremely important and global problem around the world. Terrorism is an offense involving the use of terrorism (usually unexpectedly) or the threat of violence against civilians or civilian targets, which may cause serious harm to a State or an international organization. My country (Lithuania) should rejoice because there have never been serious terrorist attacks here like other countries. Krieger and Meierrieks (2011) said that transnational terrorism is more likely to occur in non-democratic, highly populated, and unstable countries. The threat of terrorism to Lithuania is fully considered in official documents in another area - social. This refers in particular to the challenges posed by migration. Post (2005) says that people’s despair, desperation and loathing need to be reduced and the state must meet the security needs of citizens. I believe that every citizen, no matter what country they live in, must feel safe and the state must ensure this. Zimbardo (2007) says, “promote love and reform education so that young people have the knowledge and feel safe. To promote freedom of self-determination, to ensure equal opportunities and non-discrimination. I believe that this would help to reduce terrorism”.
ReplyDelete1. Krieger, T., & Meierrieks, D. (2011). What causes terrorism? Public Choice, 147(1), 3-27.
2. Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. Prieiga per internetą: http://translibri.com/pdf/Lucifer_Sample.pdf
3. Post, J. M., Stout, Chris E., & Felthous, Alan R. (2005). The new face of terrorism: socio‐cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 23(4), 451–465. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.658.
Terrorism in Nigeria in the last decade has been a force to be reckoned with and has become a serious criminal phenomenon that threatens the national and international security of the country as a whole. The real terrorists are the Nigerian government because of their massive corruption, poor governance and lack of vision for the country. For a nation that is already dealing with tons of issues such as religious and ethnic tolerance, justice, distribution of national resources, public accountability etc. then, it becomes very easy for terrorism to emerge because already there is a pool of millions of angry and hungry unemployed youths in Nigeria, from which terrorists can be recruited easily. Take for instance, a patriot who can no longer bear the retrogression of his country in the midst of plenty, can always join a terrorist groups due to lack of frustration.
ReplyDeleteIn trying to come up with several ways to prevent violent extremism and acts of evil, Post stated that “There is no shortrange solution to the problem of terrorism. Once an individual is in the pressure cooker of the terrorist group, it is extremely difficult to influence him. In the long run, the most effective antiterrorist policy is one that inhibits potential recruits from joining in the first place, for once an individual is in the grip of the terrorist group the power of the group and organizational psychology will increasingly dominate his psychology”. (Post 2005)
He proposes an effective dissemination of information and public education as key elements of a pro-active programs in countering terrorism. By creating pathways out of terrorism, that grip can be reduced. In a similar fashion, Bloom also stated that “the best way to fight the war on terror is to make terrorist organizations less appealing—to men and women”. (Bloom 2005)
Terrorism is a terrible act that should be condemned and we as individuals can play our part by speaking out against it by playing a role of collective responsibility. We all should be heroes and take a stance against the terrible disease that has festered deeply into the society. We don’t have to have supernatural powers to be a hero. Infact, Zimbardo in his 2008 TedTalk, He stated that “Heroes are ordinary people whose social actions are extraordinary those who act,” and "The goal of heroism is to promote socially responsible behavior and actions that serve the greater good” (Zimbardo 2008).
If there is anything Global Social has taught me, it is that I should constantly strive to be an advocate for peace. Encouraging inclusion and positivity by constantly spreading love messages, reeducating people on the importance of oneness, tolerance and cultural awareness should be what every social worker should strive for in mitigating terrorism.
Works Cited:
Bloom, Mia. (2005). Mother, daughter, sister, bomber. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 54-62.
Post, Jerrold. (2005). The new face of terrorism: Socio-cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and Law, 23, 451-465.
Zimbardo, P. TED: The Psychology of Evil. 2008.
Philip Zimbardo: The psychology of evil
Terrorism in Nigeria in the last decade has been a force to be reckoned with and has become a serious criminal phenomenon that threatens the national and international security of the country as a whole. The real terrorists are the Nigerian government because of their massive corruption, poor governance and lack of vision for the country. For a nation that is already dealing with tons of issues such as religious and ethnic tolerance, justice, distribution of national resources, public accountability etc. then, it becomes very easy for terrorism to emerge because already there is a pool of millions of angry and hungry unemployed youths in Nigeria, from which terrorists can be recruited easily. Take for instance, a patriot who can no longer bear the retrogression of his country in the midst of plenty, can always join a terrorist groups due to lack of frustration.
ReplyDeleteIn trying to come up with several ways to prevent violent extremism and acts of evil, Post stated that “There is no shortrange solution to the problem of terrorism. Once an individual is in the pressure cooker of the terrorist group, it is extremely difficult to influence him. In the long run, the most effective antiterrorist policy is one that inhibits potential recruits from joining in the first place, for once an individual is in the grip of the terrorist group the power of the group and organizational psychology will increasingly dominate his psychology”. (Post 2005)
He proposes an effective dissemination of information and public education as key elements of a pro-active programs in countering terrorism. By creating pathways out of terrorism, that grip can be reduced. In a similar fashion, Bloom also stated that “the best way to fight the war on terror is to make terrorist organizations less appealing—to men and women”. (Bloom 2005)
Terrorism is a terrible act that should be condemned and we as individuals can play our part by speaking out against it by playing a role of collective responsibility. We all should be heroes and take a stance against the terrible disease that has festered deeply into the society. We don’t have to have supernatural powers to be a hero. Infact, Zimbardo in his 2008 TedTalk, He stated that “Heroes are ordinary people whose social actions are extraordinary those who act,” and "The goal of heroism is to promote socially responsible behavior and actions that serve the greater good” (Zimbardo 2008).
If there is anything Global Social has taught me, it is that I should constantly strive to be an advocate for peace. Encouraging inclusion and positivity by constantly spreading love messages, reeducating people on the importance of oneness, tolerance and cultural awareness should be what every social worker should strive for in mitigating terrorism.
Works Cited:
Bloom, Mia. (2005). Mother, daughter, sister, bomber. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 54-62.
Post, Jerrold. (2005). The new face of terrorism: Socio-cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and Law, 23, 451-465.
Zimbardo, P. TED: The Psychology of Evil. 2008.
Philip Zimbardo: The psychology of evil
3 Kenya is a stable country, where peace is prevalent. However, it is in a region that is highly volatile. On her North West there is Sudan- South Sudan and to the East is Somalia. Both regions are continuous fighting and having civil wars and political unrest. Kenya being a good neighbor and being a signatory to UN peace agreements hosts the refugees in Dadaab and Kakuma Refugee Camps. In partnerships with UNHCR and related bodies. This situation is not ideal for government of Kenya and with African Union, it was therefore decided in 2007 to send Kenyan troops to try stabilize Somalia because the influx of refugees threatens national security in many levels. With this information, terrorists in East Africa are affiliated with the AL-Qaeda’s branch in the region- Al-Shabaab from Somali. The timeline for attacks is; August 1998- Bombing of US Embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es Salaam Tanzania 2006-2009 Their Prominence by waring with Ethiopian Military and controlling the harbor in Kismayo thus collecting revenues and piracy. July 2010 targets Uganda, bombs a restaurant high casualty. September 2013 West gate Mall attacked in Nairobi on a killing rampage for four days. April 2015 Al Shabab attacks a Kenyan university early morning killing students. January 2019- Militants Attack Dusit D2 luxury hotel in Nairobi killing 21. With all these attacks, the consistent narrative is the militia had a local correspondent (s) who plays the role of data collection and has the ability to blend in like a local or employee, client and surveys areas. Determining the busiest periods and when the target is more vulnerable so that to attack. This echoes Zimbardo thoughts on the permeability of evil. In a letter to Thomas Mercer, Edmund Burke notes that “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”
ReplyDeleteThe informants are living with neighbors who see things, they go to shops or banks people see these things but lack solidarity, patriotism or at times think it is role of police to protect citizens. A terrible belief because safety and security start with me and you. If you see something, it is your duty to do or say something. Recognizing this, The Government of Kenya initiated the “Nyumba Kumi Initiative” translated to Ten Houses Initiative. Basically, in every ten houses people should know each other and to kick start conversations and local policing and reduce extremism by knowing what is happening, what young people are doing during holidays. Being that the youth are prone to radicalization. This is the biggest role social workers can participate in. Having access to people and having high social skills it would be easier for them to have this instinct.
Zimbardo, Philip. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House.
Edmund Burke, Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents 82-83 (1770) in: Select Works of Edmund Burke, vol. 1, p. 146 (Liberty Fund ed. 1999).
In recent years, the majority of acts of domestic terror in the United States have been committed by ‘alt-right’ extremists. According to Zimbardo, all people have the ability to be villains or heroes depending on the choices they make and the roles and mindsets presented to them (Zimbardo 2007). These individuals are constantly presented with the narrative that their freedom is threatened and that they must defend it no matter what. In their eyes, they are doing the right thing and are acting rationally. “It is group, organizational and social psychology, with a particular emphasis on collective identity, rather than individual psychopathology, that is the foundation of terrorist psychology” (Post 2005). These individuals are emboldened in their actions by the idea that they belong to the ‘correct’ group whose exclusion from the rest of society is, in their eyes, the result of conspiracy, corruption, or the ignorance of others. In order to prevent individuals from becoming radicalized, it is important not to isolate them. Social work interventional methods such as groups, counseling, and connecting to resources are great on an individual level, provided that the individual is willing and able to seek such services. But it is imperative that our society seeks to cease the mindset of ‘us’ and ‘them’ as it perpetuates each groups sense of isolation and mistrust or disdain for others.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Post, Jerrold. (2005). The new face of terrorism: Socio-cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and Law, 23, 451-465.
Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House.
Brianna, I like that you brought up the concept that Zimbardo talks about the ability to be villains or heroes depends on the choice and roles they claim. This is seen in many forms such as you mentioned the narrative they choose and how they can excuse their behavior in words that they believe it the correct way. I agree with you in how we as social workers can intervene by providing extensive amounts of resources in order to help those who are terror victims.
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ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of terrorism, I imagine huge, organised act of violence, many victims, terror and panic all around....Crowd sceaming out of fear and pain, and some of them despeartelly running away in different directions...It must be such a terror to face that. Terrorism for many of the Lithuanians seems a strange and remote phenomenon, although we did experience in our history the red (communist) and brown (fascist) terror. Its great to realise, that we have quite low level of terrorism in Lithuania for now, but its clear that terrorism and its aftermath have become part of the Western way of life, and sooner or later it might touch our country, our friends, relatives and even us too. But for now it is stated that terrorizm in Lthuania is still in its embrionic stage ( A. Racius) One year ago police in Lithuania arrested a neo-Nazi suspect, who tried to commit a terror attack. According to the investigation, he is aligned with the neo-Nazi Feurkrieg Division group and was planing a Western union building attack. During the police raids, a large amount of explosives were found belonging to the suspect, as well as other chemicals that can be used to manufacture explosive devices. The motive of the crime was a form of protest against the global order, globalism, The United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” (Shanahan, 2016: 108) Terrorists strike innocent civilians, often unextedly, and without warning. According to Zimbardo evil consists in intentionally behaving in ways that harm, abuse, demean, dehumanize, or destroy innocent others—or using one’s authority and systemic power to encourage or permit others to do so on your behalf.. Global social workers have a central role to play in preventing terrorism and providing information, educating people and helping affected families and their communities to cope with terrorism effects. In order to prevent terrorism it might be helpfull to try to understand the causes, motivations and determinants of terrorist behavior. Usually these people are not the monsters as it might look from the first sight, most terrorists are not “psychopaths“. There is no “terrorist personality”. Acording to Zimbardo an alternative conception treats evil in incrementalist terms, as something of which we are all capable, depending on circumstances. The perceived injustice, need for identity and need for belonging as well as histories of childhood abuse and trauma and themes of perceived injustice and humiliation often might be the characteristics of potential terrorists. Understanding and helping with personal crisis often could be enough to prevent the person from joining the group of terrorism.
1. Zimbardo, P. (2013). The lucifer effect understanding how good people turn evil (Unabridged.). Random House.
2. Post, Jerrold. (2005). The new face of terrorism: Socio-cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and Law, 23, 451-465.
3.Psichology of terrorism https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/208552.pdf
There has not been a lot of terrorist attacks in Lithuania, but there has been a few. The most recent one took place in 2019. There was a self-made bomb found near a building, where the international company „Western Union“ is located. Also, the walls were covered in paint with words „FK DIVISION“, „SIEGE“ and swastika. The suspect, who might be responsible for the crime, is a Lithuanian man born in 1999. The man labels himself far-right extremist and he is a part of the „Feuerkrieg Division“ group. It is suspected that the man made bombs all by himself and kept them in his house. All materials for the bomb were made at home, while looking up terrorists‘ descriptions on the internet. The self-made bomb did not explode. According to law enforcement data, „Feuerkrieg Division“ is an international group that collects its members from the internet, it is ruled by the neo-Nazi James Mason. Atomwaffen Division (USA) (the mother organisation) has one group in the Baltic States (Feuerkrieg division) and organisation departments in five other countries. Propaganda videos produced by the group show its members building and detonating homemade explosive devices. It was instructed how to build bombs, how to plan attacks and the members were encouraged to take part in the paramilitary training. This young man was doing everything by himself, but his actions were caused by the terrorist information on the internet. The terrorists, who took their actions to the virtual space, are successfully planting their evil seeds by including people to their destructive activities. Globalisation has its own pros and cons. Social worker can be an educator in this situation and also information provider. Usually the people, that are included in those destructive organisations, are young lonely ones, who have suffered from traumatizing experiences. Thus, it is very important to provide help to everyone who needs it on time. This is the prevention that should be applied – to help a suffering person before he or she starts doing revenge to the insensitive environment.
ReplyDeletePost, J., M., (2005). The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and the Law Behav. Sci. Law 23: 451–465 (2005) Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/bsl.658
Deletehttps://www.lrytas.lt/lietuvosdiena/kriminalai/2020/06/26/news/teismui-perduota-byla-del-pasikesinimo-ivykdyti-teroro-akta-vilniuje-15410868/
Jūratė, this is a very good and grim example of terrorism as many countries are now experiencing it. How horrifying it would have been, had the bomb actually exploded! I completely agree with you, that helping a suffering person before he or she starts to inflict revenge against anyone can be effective. I want to share with you a quote that many of us took from Zimbardo- "First, the world is filled with both good and evil—was, is, will always be. Second, the barrier between good and evil is permeable and nebulous. And third, it is possible for angels to become devils and, perhaps more difficult to conceive, for devils to become angels“. This is less of a quote based in definite fact, but I believe it is helpful to a social worker like you and I. To know and hold the hope that a "bad" person can become better, is to be what I believe, an ethical and moral social worker. It would not make sense for us to fight fire with fire, but rather to attempt to find the hurt and pain within someone and help to work it out, so that no one becomes a terrorist. Thank you for sharing your opinions on this question!
DeleteWhen many people in the United States picture terrorism, they picture 9/11, and the propaganda that was released surrounding it. Xenophobia became rampant, and anyone who was Muslim, from the Middle East, or brown became a target. A terrorist “is a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” In the United States, we have been seeing an influx of mass shootings committed by white men. We are surrounded by Klu Klux Klan members, many of whom are confirmed police, who have an obvious political agenda against BIPOC. These acts of terrorism rip apart communities and go largely unpunished. How can underserved and oppressed communities fight back against terrorism that is being inflicted upon them by the very government that is in charge? A social work intervention that I am personally planning on using is based on strengths perspective, in which I will hope to empower people and ultimately have a stronger community, that black people and POC will begin to feel safer and more supported by allies. For people who believe the police are right, I hope to help educate and heal any hurt they might have, so that any misplaced anger or bitterness can be dispelled, and people are kept safe. I am interested in joining the program where a social worker accompanies a police officer to a call, so that excessive use of force does not become necessary if talking is possible. These are especially important around calls that involve POC experiencing a mental health crisis. We have seen them be brutally murdered for no reason before by police, and if a social worker could have intervened to prevent that, it should have been able to happen. So, using all of these tactics, I hope to use my white privilege and privilege as a social worker to even remotely prevent more white alt-right terrorism from tearing through innocent people. As a way to end this less than educational rant, this quote from Zimbardo says, “First, the world is filled with both good and evil—was, is, will always be. Second, the barrier between good and evil is permeable and nebulous. And third, it is possible for angels to become devils and, perhaps more difficult to conceive, for devils to become angels“. (Zimbardo, P. 2007) In my social work career, I never want to believe that someone cannot change. That is what I will hope to work with in terms of preventing terrorism- the hope that people can change.
ReplyDeleteZimbardo, P. (2013). The lucifer effect understanding how good people turn evil (Unabridged.). Random House.
https://www.yesmagazine.org/social-justice/2020/09/10/police-killed-an-unarmed-black-man-having-a-mental-health-crisis/
Hi Katherine! Thank you for your sharing about strategies in mitigating terrorizm. I find these are very important and valueable points. Especially ones about strenght perspective and enpowering people, community when fighting with rasism teror. Also I agree that it would be graet solution to have a social worker intervention to prevent excecive force acts which are comming from police. I agree with you and Zimbardo that line between good and evil is very thin and it often depends on circumstances which side a person will chose. The work of social worker could be to empower people to choose the good not evil, choose harmony, not a destruction. And I also agree that in order to create any change we must keep the faith that it is possible:)
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ReplyDeleteThe word terrorism in the United States gives citizens flashback to 9/11, or the Boston Marathon Bombing attacks that are executed by “outsiders” and instilling fear and xenophobia amongst the American people. What we have failed to realize and continually brush under the rug is that terrorism can be homegrown, U.S. citizens attacking other U.S. Citizens. The Insurrection on Capitol Hill, Columbine, Sandy Hook, the Orlando nightclub shooting are just a few of the recent acts of domestic terrorism, but this notion can go as far back as the creation of the Ku Klux Klan, a terrorsit group. To be more specific, terrorists in the United States of America are individuals that feel they have been oppressed because they can not freely degrade and oppress others. After watching Zimbardo’s Stanford experiment I was not at all surprised at the scene and pain the correctional officers had caused. The power and authority that they were given was overpowering and they could not help but take advantage of it.
ReplyDeleteMitigating domestic terrorism with social work intervention is not something that I think is possible at this moment, but can be something to work towards in the future. Reading through Ifat Maoz (2004) article about peace building after violent conflicts I thought it tied well with this post. Although the article is related to the Israeli-Palestanian conflicts I do believe that peace-building can be encouraged in the U.S. as well. Social workers may act as a liaison between communities in conflict and aid in peace-building techniques; planning and leading discussion, education in conflict resolution, and more.
Zimbardo, Philip. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House. Chapter 1: The psychology of evil; Chapter 16: Resisting situational influences and celebrating heroism.
Maoz, I. (2003). Peace Building in Violent Conflict: Israeli-Palestinian Post-Oslo People-to-People Activities. International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 17(3), 563–574. https://doi.org/10.1023/b:ijps.0000019619.70068.9f
Hi Konstantina! Thank you for your post. I agree that when the word terrorism is mentioned I think of 9/11. There has been a lot of xenophobia and stigma that terrorist attacks are only created by POC, but it is not true. I also thought of many terrorist attacks like white people attacking POC, school shootings, and the insurrection on Capitol Hill. I agree that mitigating terrorism with social work intervention might be a hard reach right now but bringing our communities together in support is important. All we can do is spread awareness, be culturally aware, and advocate for peace
DeleteFocusing on what Jerrold Post talks about nationalist-separatist terrorism which aims to focus on groups who want new political order that is based on the views of their elders and want to enforce these views at all costs (Post 2005). This view is often seen to harm those who do not agree with these political views and are forced or oppressed to follow those in command. This act of oppression is seen as an act of evil according to Philip Zimbardo. Philip Zimbardo talks about evil as acts of dehumanizing innocent individuals by using systemic power to influence evil behavior (Zimbardo 2007). As a social worker wanting to mitigate terrorism is by providing support to those who are or were affected by terrorism. I feel that it is important to recognize the role of mental health as well as physical health takes place when having clients who are terror victims that are experience many forms of trauma and stress and by providing the proper care for these victims would make a great difference. I believe that by intervening by using organizational and clinical solutions allows social workers to work within healthcare systems while aiming to address the optimal goal for the client is their well-being.
ReplyDeletePost, Jerrold. (2005). The new face of terrorism: Socio-cultural foundations of contemporary terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and Law, 23, 451-465.
Zimbardo, Philip. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil. New York: Random House. Chapter 1: The psychology of evil; Chapter 16: Resisting situational influences and celebrating heroism.
Terrorist incidents have occurred in China with increasing frequency since the late 1980s as the result of the grievances of non-Han ethnic minorities, particularly the Uyghurs (Phillip B. K. Potter, 2013). But no one born to be or born as a terrorist. Brian Burgoo (2006) found that country's welfare efforts negatively correlate with transnational or total terrorist incidents on its soil, as well as transnational terrorism perpetrated by its citizens. Krieger,. (2016) provide robust evidence that higher levels of income inequality are associated with more terrorism, and argue that terrorism is to voice dissent and achieve a redistribution of wealth because the frustration over the distribution of income within a society. Rhonda L. Callaway &Julie Harrelson-Stephens (2017) find that the denial of security rights and human rights abuses contributed to the creation and growth of terrorism. It doesn’t mean that we should accept that terrorist’s behavior are reasonable but to reflect on and work to remove the root causes of terrorism. Social work’s intervention on terrorism should obey the principle of “Person in Environment”. By improving economically equality and human right condition at micro, mezzo and macro level, terrorism will be undermined. As Malala Yousafsai said what she would say to a terrorist: “I will tell him how important education is and I even want education for your children as well ”. It give the implication that social work intervention can work to open a “door of choice” for “terrorist” to choose to be an ordinary people that have good interactions and relations with the community and the society and no need to live by conducting terrible violence to others.
ReplyDelete1.Phillip B. K. Potter. Terrorism in China: Growing Threats with Global Implications. Strategic Studies Quarterly. Vol. 7, No. 4 (WINTER 2013), pp. 70-92
2.Burgoon, B. (2006). On Welfare and Terror: Social Welfare Policies and Political-Economic Roots of Terrorism. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 50(2), 176–203.
3.Krieger, Tim and Meierrieks, Daniel, Does Income Inequality Lead to Terrorism? (March 23, 2016). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 5821.
4.Rhonda L. Callaway & Julie Harrelson-Stephens (2006) Toward a Theory of Terrorism: Human Security as a Determinant of Terrorism, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 29:8, 773-796, DOI: 10.1080/10576100600701974A
5.Rachel Brittain. (2018) 25 INSPIRING MALALA YOUSAFZAI QUOTES. Retrieve from https://bookriot.com/malala-yousafzai-quotes/.
When I think of terrorism in the United States, I think of 9/11 and also most recently white people killing POC. Since the tragedy of 9/11 there has been a lot of Xenophobia especially towards Muslims. Muslims have felt uncomfortable because of this and continue to be targeted as terrorists everywhere. According to Post terrorists “is a group, organizational and social psychology, with a particular emphasis on collective identity, rather than individual psychopathology that is the foundation of terrorist psychology” (Post 2005). According to Zimbardo he states that “Heroes are ordinary people whose social actions are extraordinary of those who act” … “The goal of heroism is to promote socially responsible behavior and actions that serve the greater good” (Zimbardo 2008). When Trump went into office there has been a lot of people that have come out to show racist ideals and horrible terrorist actions. POC are being killed because our previous “president” made it okay and did not speak up and tell them to stop. Police brutality has also been an extreme social issue against POC and it still continues to happen. It is sad that we have to keep coming up with hashtags to spread awareness or support of #BlackLivesMatter or #StopAsianHate. Terrorism is a problem in the United States because people want to use their power of white privilege for their awful actions against POC. Terrorism is a terrible act that should be condemned, and as social workers it is our part to speak out against it and educate people of the injustices in the United States and the world. As social workers we can strive to mitigate terrorism by being culturally aware and try and advocate for peace.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Post, J., M., (2005). The New Face of Terrorism: Socio-Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Terrorism. Behavioral Sciences and the Law Behav. Sci. Law 23: 451–465 (2005) Published online in Wiley InterScience.
Zimbardo, P. (2013). The lucifer effect understanding how good people turn evil (Unabridged.). Random House.
https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/factsheets/factsheet-explaining-nigerias-boko-haram-its-violent-insurgency
ReplyDeleteBoko Haram, officially known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l(Arabic:Group of the People of Sunnah for Preaching and is a terrorist organization based in northeastern Nigeria, which is also active in Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon.[9] In 2016, the group split, resulting in the emergence of a hostile faction known as the Islamic State's West Africa Province.Founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002, the group was led by Abubakar Shekau from 2009 until his death in 2021, although it splintered into other groups after Yusuf's death and also in 2015.
Education as a tool to prevent violent extremism to assist and to deliver education programmes that build young people’s resilience to violent extremist messaging and foster a positive sense of identity and belonging. This work is being undertaken within the framework of Global Citizenship Education in relation with social work.
Youth participation & Empowerment
Build Youth team focuses on creating an enabling environment for the empowerment and democratic participation of youth, in order to ensure that young women and men have the opportunities to become active global citizens.
Media & Online coalitions for
Mobilizing stakeholders - particularly youth, policy-makers, researchers and media actors-to take effective actions, both online and offline, to prevent and respond to violent extremism and radicalization on the Internet.
Celebrating Cultural Diversity
Engaging youth in the protection of all forms of heritage and the promotion of cultural diversity to foster more fair, inclusive and peaceful societies.