ABSTRACT
When examining terrorism considering individuals alone and without their greater framework or putting the investigation's focus only on organizations and without their members, bears the risk of looking at only one side of the whole story. For this reason, it makes sense to concentrate on the connection between both the individuals and the organizations: the generations. The idea of the development of terrorism throughout generations also agrees with the theory of David Rapoport. According to Rapoport, terrorism has evolved in four overlapping historical waves since the 1880s. If we are to follow Rapoport's assumption that each wave of non-state terrorism has always lasted about 40 years, with the last one – the religious wave – emerging in 1979, we are at the threshold of a new wave right now. Does this in fact mean, that a fifth wave of terrorism is currently developing? In this regard, it makes sense to check the theory of four waves by Rapoport for a possible generation pattern. Additionally, it might be useful to comprehend terrorism as a reply to state terrorism, in order to be able to see the bigger picture. The pattern of action – reaction, as well as state violence – non-state violence can be projected into the future. As a result, we can imagine a fifth wave of terrorism as a reaction to globalization.
