The Narrative Rationality of Violent Extremism

Steven Corman

doi:10.1111/ssqu.12248

The Narrative Rationality of Violent Extremism

Steven Corman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: This essay explores the narratives that are used to justify terrorist attacks by perpetrators and their supporters. Method: The author examines the ways in which narratives rationalizing violence have been constructed and repeated by Islamist extremists and, in the case of Oklahoma City bombing, by McVeigh and other members of the Patriot movement. Results: The analysis of these two case studies demonstrates the power of narrative rationality to motivate terrorist acts and suggests narrative counterstrategies are key to undermining that power.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	9-18
Number of pages	10
Journal	Social Science Quarterly
Volume	97
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.12248
State	Published - Mar 1 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Social Sciences

Access to Document

10.1111/ssqu.12248

Cite this

@article{ab6e475feed94b79a2aa1d7184ec0331,

title = "The Narrative Rationality of Violent Extremism",

abstract = "Objective: This essay explores the narratives that are used to justify terrorist attacks by perpetrators and their supporters. Method: The author examines the ways in which narratives rationalizing violence have been constructed and repeated by Islamist extremists and, in the case of Oklahoma City bombing, by McVeigh and other members of the Patriot movement. Results: The analysis of these two case studies demonstrates the power of narrative rationality to motivate terrorist acts and suggests narrative counterstrategies are key to undermining that power.",

author = "Steven Corman",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 Southwestern Social Science Association.",

year = "2016",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1111/ssqu.12248",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "97",

pages = "9--18",

journal = "Social Science Quarterly",

issn = "0038-4941",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Narrative Rationality of Violent Extremism

AU - Corman, Steven

PY - 2016/3/1

Y1 - 2016/3/1

N2 - Objective: This essay explores the narratives that are used to justify terrorist attacks by perpetrators and their supporters. Method: The author examines the ways in which narratives rationalizing violence have been constructed and repeated by Islamist extremists and, in the case of Oklahoma City bombing, by McVeigh and other members of the Patriot movement. Results: The analysis of these two case studies demonstrates the power of narrative rationality to motivate terrorist acts and suggests narrative counterstrategies are key to undermining that power.

AB - Objective: This essay explores the narratives that are used to justify terrorist attacks by perpetrators and their supporters. Method: The author examines the ways in which narratives rationalizing violence have been constructed and repeated by Islamist extremists and, in the case of Oklahoma City bombing, by McVeigh and other members of the Patriot movement. Results: The analysis of these two case studies demonstrates the power of narrative rationality to motivate terrorist acts and suggests narrative counterstrategies are key to undermining that power.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84959289983&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84959289983&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/ssqu.12248

DO - 10.1111/ssqu.12248

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84959289983

SN - 0038-4941

VL - 97

SP - 9

EP - 18

JO - Social Science Quarterly

JF - Social Science Quarterly

IS - 1

ER -

The Narrative Rationality of Violent Extremism

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this