ABSTRACT

This chapter considers what is meant by the term "terrorism" before exploring the importance of viewing terrorism from a sociological perspective; the tactics terrorists use; factors associated with addressing terrorism; and how terrorism relates to death, grief, and bereavement. The terrorism is an approach, a method or a tactic that involves creating fear and intimidation to seek the compliance of individuals, societies, governments or religious groups in responding to its perpetrators' political demands. One reason for incorporating a sociological perspective to complement a psychological one is the danger of allowing an individualistic perspective to neglect the significant role of state terrorism. Terrorist tactics can be seen to operate at three levels: actual attacks, post-attack propaganda and ongoing threat. People who have survived being victims of terrorism will face living in fear and the possibility of being less willing to develop human relationships in the future.