Introduction

This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part discusses the important point that terrorism necessarily entails an element of covert masochism and self-destructiveness. It presents four factors that lead the way out of the sado-masochistic dynamic and towards forgiveness. These factors are: repetition, revenge, reparation, and reconsideration. The part outlines the “life history” of terrorism by locating the nascent terrorist within a particular social context in which it is incubated, either by virtue of denial or collusion. It analyses cultural clashes perspectives as open and closed systems respectively, resulting in strikingly different mentalities that are in conflict with each other. The part addresses the central question of how the therapeutic process can continue in the face of overwhelming external threat and how we can help each other to go on living in the wake of collective trauma.