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A Comparative Perspective of International Cooperation against Terrorism
| Title: | A Comparative Perspective of International Cooperation against Terrorism |
| Author: | Sezgin, Erkan |
| Description: | Terrorism is one of the biggest problems of our time with its effects that are no longer constrained within national borders. Although international cooperation is necessary against terrorism, it is not at desired levels due to many reasons. The dissertation offers a new perspective that may possibly make international cooperation possible through measuring opinions of people in charge of fighting terrorism in their countries. There is no universally accepted definition of terrorism, which seems to be the fundamental problem that inhibits international cooperation. Moreover, what is understood of the terrorism concept varies at different levels. The dissertation started examining the concept of terrorism from a philosophical perspective to explore the underlying reasons for lack of a common definition. The examination also revealed the remedies to cure the determined problems. As opposed to the common application of defining terrorism operationally, the dissertation’s finding was that the concept should be defined declaratively. For that purpose the dissertation examined how the components (dimensions) of the concept of terrorism come together to “form” the concept. Philosophical structures were used at this level. Depending on the findings of the philosophical examination of the concept, extensive literature review and determining the typology of terrorism, the “statements” that would be used in the data-collection process were prepared. Those statements were offered law enforcement officers, politicians and judges/prosecutors, five from each group in Turkey and the United States. The data collected from a total of thirty participants were analyzed by using Q Methodology, and the results revealed the variations in the understanding of the concept of terrorism. The dissertation disclosed the fact that nationality is more important a factor in shaping understanding of terrorism than professions. It revealed that measuring opinions of people in charge of counter-terrorism could be a useful determinant of the understanding of the concept. Instead of encouraging states to adopt a common definition which can be against those people’s understandings of the concept, learning and comparing those opinions may be more realistic and productive in terms of providing international cooperation. |
| Permanent Link: |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1185301559
http://hdl.handle.net/2374.OX/17733 |
| Date: | 2007 |
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