ABSTRACT
Terrorism is irreversibly linked to questions of legitimacy in international as well as domestic politics. Although it is theoretically possible to consider terrorism solely as a method or strategy of opposition, in practice the condemnation of terrorism as a means is often interpreted as an implicit disavowal of the ends it serves. Terrorism is often referred to as the weapon of the weak, since it is frequently the resort of small ideological groups that lack a mass base. It is often a substitute for the mobilization of large numbers of supporters. One problem is that in civil conflicts the distinction between combatants and noncombatants is blurred. The precise relationship between states and terrorist undergrounds is difficult to determine. Researchers have begun to inquire carefully into the psychology of individuals who become terrorists, especially in Western liberal democracies where such behavior seems unjustified by circumstances.
