The psychology of counter-terrorism: critical issues and challenges.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Wars are won when one side breaks the will of the other to fight on. When they capitulate, the defeated almost always still have armies in the field and still have some resources to draw upon. True, these may be greatly diminished compared to what existed at earlier stages of the conflict but it is extraordinarily rare for every soldier to have been slain or imprisoned and every town and city captured before the white flags of surrender are raised. What the vanquished have lost however is the belief that victory is possible or that the cost of the struggle can be borne any further. Victory or defeat then, ultimately boils down to a question of psychology, and terrorist conflicts are no different from other conflicts in this respect.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Psychology of Counter-Terrorism
EditorsAndrew Silke
Place of PublicationLondon
PublisherRoutledge
Chapter1
Pages1-18
Number of pages19
ISBN (Electronic)9780203840269
ISBN (Print)9780415558402, 9780415558396
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011

Keywords

  • counter-terrorism
  • psychology of terrorism
  • terrorist psychology
  • psychology of counter-terrorism
  • terrorism studies

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