Robert A. Pape
Strategic
logic of Suicide Terrorism
2003
1)
Theory
Rational choice
2)
Method
Large N case study: 188 suicide
terrorism worldwide from 1980-2001.
3)
Evidence/argument
Suicide
terrorism cannot be explained by religious fanaticism nor psychological
explanation. Rather, when analyzing 188 cases, this study chose that suicide
terrorism follows a strategic logic, to make significant territorial
concessions from liberal democracies.
-
Target: modern liberal
democracies
-
Purpose: territory
More
gains after the resort to suicide operations.
4)
Conclusion
Lesson
learned: Western democracies should improve homeland security, and teach
terrorist that the lessons of 1980-90s no longer hold.
5)
Critique
>> Strategic calculation means trade-offs between gain and
lose.
How can judge/compare the life of human and the territory
gained? Can we set a certain number of people died is worthy for a certain
amount of territory? The suicide terror attack is based on totalitarianism, an
entity comes first then individual, and the individuals can sacrifice in the
name of whole. There is not much strategic calculation: it is just gain
territory or not.
è Snider!
[lecture]
Pape is example of explanation
Revealed preferences.
Condition
to be Rational(snidal), :
1)
goal seeking/ max utility
2)
rank preferences
3)
Transitive a>b b>c a>c
