9/11 and the

Politics of the Disaster

Research Exercise

• Who? • What?• When?• Where?• Why?• Don’t stick to Wikipedia. Look beyond and

take note of how you would locate at least two (2) reliable sources.

9/11: An Event that Changed the World?

• Some argue that the attacks of September 11, 2001 changed everything in the sphere of security.

• Others argue that the only thing it changed was to provide the “in” for already existing ideas and practices to be implemented in a “culture of fear”.

Terrorism Defined

• Origin:• late 18th century: from

French terroriste, from Latin terror. The word was originally applied to supporters of the Jacobins in the French Revolution, who advocated repression and violence in pursuit of the principles of democracy and equality. As in, “The Reign of Terror.”

Terrorism

• [mass noun] the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. ~ Oxford English Dictionary

The “Old Terrorism”

• The Irish “Troubles”• July 21, 1972• The Provisional IRA

detonates 22 bombs in locations such a bus and train terminals, on bridges, in front of building, in a period of hours

• 9 people were killed, 130 were injured. Of these 77 were women and children.

The “Old Terrorism”

• August 30, 1978: LOT Polish Airlines Flight 165 was hijacked by two East Germans in order to escape to West Berlin. There were no casualties, the hijackers surrendered and were tried by never-before-convened United States Court for Berlin.

Old Terrorism

• ETA (short form for Basque phrase meaning “Basque Homeland and Freedom”) is blamed for killing 829 people, injuring thousands, and kidnapping dozens in Spain

Can-Con

• The October Crisis of 1970

• The FLQ kidnaps and murders provincial minister, Pierre Laporte and kidnaps British diplomat, James Cross.

The “New Terrorism”

• In addition to 9/11...• 3/11 2004Madrid train bombingsKill 191 people and

wounded 1,800Thought to be an Al

Qaeda inspired cell.

New Terrorism

• London 2005, 7/7• Coordinated suicide

bombings (3 in London Tube, one on bus) killed 52 and injured 700

• Also school attack in Beslan and attacks in Bali

Characteristics of “Old Terrorism”

• Local• Ideological objectives• Strict hierarchies• Self-financed

Characteristics of “New Terrorism”

• Global• Fluid formation• Amorphous aims• Disparate organizational

structure• Diverse funding sources

“The War on Terror”

• Thinking security• Justification legislation,

in particular terrorist legislation, intervention into particular bodies

• Eg. The Patriot Act• Fear creates a “foot in

the door” for support for policy changes

• CF. Shock Doctrine

• The Politicization of Terrorism

versus

• Terrorism as Politicization

Producing the Terrorist Other

• Particularly aimed at men of Arabic descent, the production of an us as safe and a them as “unsafe” serves to separate out people

• It also generalizes and collapses distinctions

• Them becomes a big catch-all

The “Terrorist Other”

• Problematic constructions of Islam in general and Islamic masculinity in particular

Individualization of Responsibility

• http://www.ready.gov/• http://www.fema.gov/• http://www.dhs.gov/ind

ex.shtm