Psychology of Terrorism

Psychology of Terrorism
Question 1
As noted in the course materials, there are two primary types of terrorism that exist in the world today. The first is the old terrorism, which is defined as a political act that is carried out through the use of violence and fear in order to achieve a specific goal. The second type of terrorism is the new terrorism, which is defined as a religious or ideological act that is carried out through the use of violence and fear in order to achieve a specific goal (Lean & Roshandel, 2013). The type of terrorism has only emerged in the past few decades and has been used by groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State in order to further their religious or ideological agenda. Both types of terrorism pose a serious threat to society. Old terrorism is typically less lethal than new terrorism, but it can still cause a great deal of damage. Old terrorism is often directed at specific targets, such as government buildings or political leaders. It can also be used to intimidate the general population into submission. New terrorism is often more lethal than old terrorism because it is often directed at civilians. It is designed to cause as much death and destruction as possible in order to achieve its goal(Carter et al., 2022). The type of terrorism that is most lethal is new terrorism. It is because new terrorism is often directed at civilians, which makes it more likely to cause a large number of casualties. New terrorism is also more likely to use suicide bombers and other methods that are designed to cause as much death and destruction as possible.
Question 2
The act of jihad has been widely misunderstood by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Jihad literally means "struggle" or "effort" and is often used to refer to the spiritual struggle one undergoes in order to live a good Muslim life (Carter et al., 2022). However, the term has been co-opted by radical Islamists to refer to a physical struggle, usually involving violence, in order to achieve political goals. This interpretation of jihad is a gross distortion of the Islamic concept and has led to much violence and bloodshed in the name of Allah. Non-extremist Muslims understand jihad to be a personal struggle to live a good and pious life. This can be accomplished through prayer, charity, and other good deeds. Jihad is not about fighting and killing in the name of Allah, but about inner struggle and self-improvement (Carter et al., 2022). Unfortunately, the radical Islamist interpretation of jihad has led to much violence and bloodshed in the name of Allah. This is not what Islam is about and it is important for people of all fa...