A systems understanding of terrorism with implications for policy

Articles and books have been written on the phenomenon of Islamic terrorism. Most of these writings focus on some specific aspect of terrorism or the terrorist perpetrators; terrorist methods, their ideology, education level, societal hardships, etc. While it is important to understand the actual terrorist perpetrators (those that carry out terrorist attacks) and the processes and conditions that give rise to them, nonetheless, terrorist attacks do not arise in a vacuum. The terrorist perpetrator is only one part of the picture. Much less exists that examines the terrorist phenomenon as a complex system of interlocking factors and players---each with its own separate influences, motivators/precipitators, and interdependent relationships.; The present study seeks to address this gap by looking at terrorism not as a single phenomenon (i.e., 'the terrorists'), but rather as a system composed of many interlocking elements. It is suggested that terrorism is an interdependent system of variables and players and that a more complete understanding of the terrorist phenomenon can be gained by looking at it in a complex system manner. While scientific research usually begins with some specifics of a topic and then seeks to gain from that a more generalized understanding; a system analysis begins with the identification of a whole (a system); evaluating the properties of that larger whole, and then seeing the issue or phenomenon in its place within the larger whole (Wallman, 2001). In other words---a system analysis starts with the whole and then seeks to understand its parts in relation to the larger whole. The present study will look at many of the elements that make up the complex system from which extremism and terrorism arise, as well as the policy implications that are suggested by looking at this system.