Norwegian Institute

of InternationalAffairs

NorskUtenrikspolitiskInstitutt

Root Causes of Terrorism

Presentation by

Dr. Tore Bjørgo

Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute of International AffairsandProfessor of Police Science, National Police Academy, Oslo

Norwegian Institute

of InternationalAffairs

NorskUtenrikspolitiskInstitutt

Invalidated myths about causes of terrorism:

• Poverty: There are only a weak and indirect relationships between poverty and terrorism

• State sponsorship of terrorism: not a root cause to terrorism, but an enabling factor • Religious fanaticism: Suicidal terrorism is not caused by religion as such, but religion may give shape to and justification of political extremism

• Madness: Terrorists are not insane or irrational actors

Norwegian Institute

of InternationalAffairs

NorskUtenrikspolitiskInstitutt

Preconditions for terrorism:• Lack of democracy, civil rights and

the rule of law

• Failed or weak states

• Rapid modernization

• Illegitimate and corrupt governments

• Powerful external actors upholding corrupt regimes

• Extremist ideologies (secular or religious)

Norwegian Institute

of InternationalAffairs

NorskUtenrikspolitiskInstitutt

More preconditions for terrorism…

• Historical traditions of political violance, civil war, revolutions, dictatorship or occupation

• Hegemony and inequality in power

• Repression by foreign occupation or colonial powers

• Failure by the state to integrate dissident groups or emerging social classes • The experience of social injustice

• The experience of discrimination on the basis of ethnic or religious origin

Norwegian Institute

of InternationalAffairs

NorskUtenrikspolitiskInstitutt

Precipitants of terrorism:

• The presence of charismatic ideological leaders

• Provocative events triggering violent responses

Norwegian Institute

of InternationalAffairs

NorskUtenrikspolitiskInstitutt

Factors sustaining terrorism: Terrorism may continue for other reasons

than what gave birth to it, such as…

• The need of the group to provide for its members or for the survival of the group

• Profitable criminal activities

• No exit from violence and extremism

• Cycles of revenge

Norwegian Institute

of InternationalAffairs

NorskUtenrikspolitiskInstitutt

For more information…

Check our Knowledge Base on Terrorism and

International Crime:

http://www.nupi.no/English/ (click ”Research” on the top menu)