Fourth Academic Article: Fighting Violence!

Excuse the violent title (!), but here is the name of my fourth academic article:

"Fighting Violence: A Critique of the War On Terrorism," International Politics (42) (June 2005), pp. 225-245.

Here is the link below:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/33418617/Dr-Tamir-Bar-On-Fighting-Violence-A-Critique-of-the-War-On-Terrorism-International-Politics-(42)-(June-2005)-pp-225-245

Here is the paper's abstract:

This paper reviews the various ways in which violence is resorted to in the service of political ends. While it is commonly thought that terrorism is an activity that is solely engaged in by political outsiders, this paper will demonstrate that even constitutionally legitimate political entities have been known to themselves engage in terrorist acts. From Robespierre to the World Trade Center, with numerous stops along the way in locations as diverse as Hiroshima, Buenos Aires, and Winnipeg, the paper aims to investigate just what exactly terrorism is, and therefore what the actual object of the war on terror ought to be.

I hope that the piece is useful for understanding the origins of the word terrorism and re-thinking some strategies in respect of the "war on terror". The paper also has a useful definition of terrorism, classifies terrorism along ideological types, and points out that terrorism can be committed by both state and non-state actors. I make no bones about it that governments, the right, and left all tend to excuse their political violence and simultaneously exaggerate the violence of their political foes.

I also have suggestions at the end of the piece for inching us towards a broader culture of peace.

Tamir Bar-On

Academic Leader at TEC of MONTERREY: Dr. Zahar

Yesterday we had the pleasure to hear a former colleague at McGill University, Dr. Marie-Joelle Zahar, speak at the TEC of Monterrey (Campus Queretaro). She is now a professor at the University of Montreal. Here is a link to the Academic Leaders' project she was involved with at my university (in Spanish):

http://lideresacademicos.net/node/195

Marie-Joelle Zahar is an expert on militias and war economies. Zahar tries to analyze how militias might exit from the armed struggle, or the reasons why they continue to take up arms after official "peace deals" are signed. As a specialist on fascism and neo-fascism, what we have in common is a focus on political manifestations of violence.

Tamir Bar-On