ABSTRACT
CONTENTS Introduction .....................................................................................................................31 Changing Face of Terrorism ............................................................................................ 32 Internal Psychologic of Terrorist Acts................................................................................33 Dynamics of Large-Group Identity.................................................................................. 34 Terrorism as a Group Activity: Large-Group Identity ...................................................... 36 Large Groups and Totalistic Belief Systems...................................................................... 37 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 39 References ........................................................................................................................ 39
Introduction Today fewer acts of terrorism are state sponsored. Increasingly, acts of terrorism are rooted in ethnic, religious, cultural, and nationalistic, large-group identities. Given the combined ambiguity and vulnerability of nation-state boundaries and affi liations in a global economy, understanding individual motives behind violent, large-group memberships, is crucial. e psychology of large-group defense of borders and boundaries must be understood and appreciated if one wants to increase tolerance and decrease intergroup confl icts and ethnic and religious tensions worldwide. Eff ective counterterrorism requires our contemplation of the group psychology of terrorism. It demands an answer to the twenty-fi rst-century riddle: why are so many people affi liating with extremist and fundamentalist groups that condone terrorism?
