Images of Terror: What We Can and Can't Know about Terrorism (Social Problems and Social Issues)

"The book acts as a guide to the images of terrorism that we see daily in the mass media. The author believes that our perceptions of terrorism are formed by the interaction of bureaucratic agencies, academics and private experts. These images and stereotypes that we are offered do not necessarily reflect objective reality."--Provided by publisher. Provides a critical consumers guide to the images of terrorism that we are offered daily in the mass media. All too often, scholars and journalists accept uncritically the interpretations of terrorism they receive from governments and official agencies. Our perceptions of terrorism are formed by the interaction of bureaucratic agencies, academics and private experts, and the mass media: The images and stereotypes that we are offered do not necessarily reflect objective reality. Rather than being something understood identically by people in different societies and different eras, the concept of terrorism is shaped by social and political processes, by bureaucratic needs and media structures. This process of construction applies both to the overall concept, and to specific movements, to groups and their actions. We must understand how we form our stereotypes of terrorism and how we come to see certain terrorists or militants as demon figures, while giving a virtual free pass to other groups or states that are just as dangerous. We must therefore also understand the rhetorical processes by which certain interest groups and bureaucratic agencies present their particular views of terrorism, and try to establish these as the ones that come to be accepted as obviously correct. [publisher web site] The author argues that terrorism, like any other problem, is socially constructed. Rather than being something understood identically by people in different societies and different eras, the concept of terrorism is shaped by social and political processes, by bureaucratic needs and media structures. This process of construction applies both to the overall concept, and to specific movements, to groups and their actions. We must understand how we form our stereotypes of terrorism and that they do not necessarily reflect objective reality Knowing about terrorism Another man's freedom fighter? The American politics of terrorism Motives False flags Investigation and intelligence Explaining failure Terrorism and the mass media Iraq and state terrorism A critical consumer's guide to understanding terrorism. This book acts explores the images of terrorism that we see daily in the mass media. The author believes that our perceptions of terrorism are formed by outside agencies which do not reflect objective reality.