Rethinking the Roots of Terrorism

Rethinking the Roots of Terrorism seeks to explain why terrorism occurs. This comprehensive, interdisciplinary survey investigates the possible motivations, reasons and causes of terrorism at all levels in society. It takes as its starting point a neutral and objective definition of terrorism, which is intended to relocate the understanding of terrorism out of the highly constraining, subjective and judgmental moral legitimacy debate and into a neutral conflict-orientated understanding of terrorism. Franks is critical of orthodox terrorism discourse and the normative use of the conventional understanding of terrorism. He seeks to open up the debate on the causes of terrorism by aligning it with the causes of conflict and thus using the methods and approaches provided by conflict resolution to rethink the roots of terrorist violence. Franks reveals the multifarious and multilevel political, social and economic causes and motivations that generate terrorism and are not considered by the orthodox approach.

Jason Franks is a Research Fellow in the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, UK. His research focuses on the roots and causes of conflict and terrorism, and processes of peace. He has a particular interest in the Middle East, and is an experienced field researcher, conducting research in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, Cambodia, Kosovo, East Timor, Bosnia, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Nepal and Northern Ireland.