Tracking radical opinions in polls of U.S. Muslims

This Research Note examines two telephone polls (2007, 2011) and three Internet polls (2016) to track opinionsof U.S. Muslims relating to the war on terrorism. Results indicate that a small but consistent minority (five to tenpercent) justify suicide bombing of civilians in defense of Islam, while those seeing the war on terrorism as a war on Islam have declined from more than half to about a third. This decline coincided with a decline in perception of discrimination against Muslims in the U.S., and correlational results confirm that perceived discriminationis one source of seeing the war on terrorism as a war on Islam. Other results from both the Pew and Internetpolls show that disapproval of U.S. foreign policies affecting Muslims also contributes to seeing a war on Islam.Discussion emphasizes the value of Internet polling for tracking shifts in the opinions of U.S. Muslims, but acknowledges that polling has not yet discovered what is different about the small minority who justify suicide bombing

Global terrorism from the perspective of constructivism

The thesis is focused on the terrorism after the attacks of 09/11, which is a key factor in its considering as a one of the most serious security threats in the 21st century. The thesis deals with a perception of the terrorist threat, particularly if it corresponds with reality and what it is influenced by or constructed by. Further the thesis is concerned about "the war on terrorism" as a reaction on the attacks which has become an American national mantra. It is tried to find out if the reaction was adequate in relation with seriousness of the attacks, if it was effective in regard of fulfilling its aims and if it was legitimate in comparison with our values and moral principles

Global terrorism from the constructivist perspective: Human mind as a security factor

Cílem této disertační práce je zkoumat proces sekuritizace terorismu, rozpracovat roli publika (veřejnosti) na úrovni jednotlivce a následně poskytnout doporučení k alternativnímu způsobu boje proti terorismu. K naplnění tohoto cíle autorka využívá sociálně konstruktivistickou teorii sekuritizace, kritická studia terorismu a politickou psychologii, konkrétně poznatky kognitivní a sociální psychologie. Napříč jednotlivými kapitolami je zkoumán proces sekuritizace terorismu; terorismus jako (do určité míry) objektivní problém, z pohledu kritických studií jsou hodnocena zaváděná bezpečnostní opatření a skrze průzkumy veřejného mínění je nahlížena role veřejnosti. Autorka dospívá k dílčímu závěru, že veřejné mínění je jedním z klíčových faktorů zavádění extenzivních bezpečnostních opatření. Proto dále zkoumá faktory, které veřejné mínění ovlivňují. Jedná se o narativ o terorismu, roli médií a nakonec psychologické procesy ovlivňující vnímání reality. Ukazuje se, že narativ o terorismu i média mají svůj podíl na reakci veřejnosti na terorismus, avšak roli publika v sekuritizačním procesu terorismu úplně nevysvětlují a jsou to právě psychologické procesy, které ho osvětlují. Proto autorka metodou experimentu ověřuje vliv tří narativů o terorismu upravených na základě psychologických teorií. Dospívá k závěru, že zde existuje potenciál pro snížení obav veřejnosti a tím k alternativnímu boji proti terorismu.The aim of this dissertation is to examine the process of securitization of terrorism, to develop the role of the audience (public) at the individual level and subsequently to provide recommendations on an alternative way of fighting terrorism. In order to achieve this goal, the author uses socially constructivist securitization theory, critical terrorism studies and political psychology, namely cognitive and social psychology. Throughout the chapters, the securitization process of terrorism is explored; terrorism as a (to a certain extent) objective problem, further, from the point of view of critical terrorism studies, the security measures are assessed and public opinion is examined through public opinion polls. The author comes to the conclusion that public opinion is one of the key factors in implementing extensive security measures. Therefore, she further examines the factors that affect public opinion; the narrative, the role of the media, and ultimately the psychological processes influencing the perception of reality. It turns out that the narrative about terrorism and the media have their share in the public reaction to terrorism, but the role of the audience in the securitization process of terrorism is not fully explained and there are the psychological processes that illuminate it. Therefore, by running an experiment, the author examines the effect of three narratives about terrorism, based on psychological theories. It concludes that there is a potential for reducing the public's fears and thus the alternative fight against terrorism

Global terrorism and its psychological aspects

This bachalor thesis concentrates on the phenomenon of terrorism and its psychological aspects. In the first third we speak about the definition of terrorism, terrorism as a communicating process, typology of terrorism and its evolution. The second and third part of the thesis deal with the psychology of terrorism -- especially with explanation why people commit terroristic acts, what their motivational factors are, what the group dynamics is about and if suicide terrorist are suicidal

Global terrorism from the perspective of constructivism

Tato diplomová práce pojednává o fenoménu terorismu po událostech 11. září 2001, kdy se terorismus stává jednou z největších bezpečnostních hrozeb 21. století. Zabývá se otázkou vnímání hrozby terorismu, konkrétně zda odpovídá realitě a čím vším je ovlivněno, popř. konstruováno. Dále je zaměřena na "válku proti terorismu" jako reakci, kterou tyto teroristické útoky vyvolaly, a která se stala mantrou amerického národa. V diplomové práci je zjišťováno, zda tato reakce byla adekvátní vzhledem k závažnosti teroristických činů 11. září, efektivní v naplňování svých cílů a legitimní z hlediska hodnot západní společnosti.The thesis is focused on the terrorism after the attacks of 09/11, which is a key factor in its considering as a one of the most serious security threats in the 21st century. The thesis deals with a perception of the terrorist threat, particularly if it corresponds with reality and what it is influenced by or constructed by. Further the thesis is concerned about "the war on terrorism" as a reaction on the attacks which has become an American national mantra. It is tried to find out if the reaction was adequate in relation with seriousness of the attacks, if it was effective in regard of fulfilling its aims and if it was legitimate in comparison with our values and moral principles

UniSAFE Deliverable Report 3.2 Report on the European Policy Baseline

The objective of this report is to establish a European baseline of policies in place to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) at the legal, policy level and the level of research funding organisations (RFO), as a fixed point of reference for future comparisons, by assessing existing laws and policies at the national and RFO levels in 27 countries in the EU. This is accompanied by analyses of four Associated Countries (Iceland, Serbia, Turkey, UK) and two Third Countries (Canada, USA) that were selected for comparison and as examples of existing practices. The analysis focuses specifically on dedicated legal and policy frameworks focused specifically on universities and research organisations, in order to map the special efforts made by national and regional authorities and RFOs to combat GBV at these specific institutions beyond generic anti-discrimination legislation and labour law protections.\

Global terrorism from the constructivist perspective: Human mind as a security factor

The aim of this dissertation is to examine the process of securitization of terrorism, to develop the role of the audience (public) at the individual level and subsequently to provide recommendations on an alternative way of fighting terrorism. In order to achieve this goal, the author uses socially constructivist securitization theory, critical terrorism studies and political psychology, namely cognitive and social psychology. Throughout the chapters, the securitization process of terrorism is explored; terrorism as a (to a certain extent) objective problem, further, from the point of view of critical terrorism studies, the security measures are assessed and public opinion is examined through public opinion polls. The author comes to the conclusion that public opinion is one of the key factors in implementing extensive security measures. Therefore, she further examines the factors that affect public opinion; the narrative, the role of the media, and ultimately the psychological processes influencing the perception of reality. It turns out that the narrative about terrorism and the media have their share in the public reaction to terrorism, but the role of the audience in the securitization process of terrorism is not fully explained and there are the psychological processes that illuminate it. Therefore, by running an experiment, the author examines the effect of three narratives about terrorism, based on psychological theories. It concludes that there is a potential for reducing the public's fears and thus the alternative fight against terrorism