How Terrorism is Wrong: Morality and Political Violence

What is terrorism? How is it different from other kinds of political violence? Why exactly is it wrong? Why is war often thought capable of being justified? On what grounds should we judge when the use of violence is morally acceptable? It is often thought that using violence to uphold and enforce the rule of law can be justified, that violence used in self-defense is acceptable, and that some liberation movements can be excused for using violence--but that terrorism is always wrong. How persuasive are these arguments, and on what bases should we judge them?How Terrorism is Wrong collects articles by Virginia Held along with much new material. It offers a moral assessment of various forms of political violence, with terrorism the focus of much of the discussion. Here and throughout, Held examines possible causes discussed, including the connection between terrorism and humiliation. Held also considers military intervention, conventional war, intervention to protect human rights, violence to prevent political change, and the status and requirements of international law. She looks at the cases of Rwanda, Kosovo, Iraq, and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Finally, she explores questions of who has legitimate authority to engage in justifiable uses of violence, whether groups can be responsible for ethnic violence, and how the media should cover terrorism.Held discusses appropriate ways of engaging in moral evaluation and improving our moral recommendations concerning the uses of violence. Just war theory has been developed for violence between the military forces of conflicting states, but much contemporary political violence is not of this kind. Held considers the guidance offered by such traditional moral theories as Kantian ethics and utilitarianism, and also examines what the newer approach of the ethics of care can contribute to our evaluations of violence. Care is obviously antithetical to violence since violence destroys what care takes pains to build; but the ethics of care recognizes that violence is not likely to disappear from human affairs, and can offer realistic understandings of how best to reduce it.

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1. Terrorism and War 2. Military Intervention and Terrorism 3. Legitimate Authority in Non-State Groups Using Violence 4. Terrorism, Rights, and Political Goals With Postscript 5. Group Responsibility for Ethnic Conflict 6. The Media and Political Violence 7. The Moral Assessment of Violence and Terrorism 8. Moral Inquiry, Action, and Care Acknowledgements Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Virginia Held is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, CUNY Graduate School. She is the author of The Ethics of Care.

Review :
"Excellent sources for those who would profit from being presented with an overview of the literature is telling us about terrorism (and violence). I strongly recommend [How Terrorism is Wrong]. --Social Theory and Practice "No philosopher has done more than Virginia Held to explore the moral dimensions of terrorism, particularly against the background of conventional methods of violence. If waging war for national defense or to stop gross injustice can be justified, she argues, non-conventional attacks or threats that cause much less harm overall to civilians can be justified on similar grounds. Held takes seriously the goal of reducing circumstances for violence of any kind. These essays stress the normative and practical importance of not looking at terrorism in a political vacuum: they display great rigor, courage, balance, and compassion." - Lionel K. McPherson, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Tufts University "The general reader will find much of interest in all the essays in this book. In the wider context of public debate about terrorism and the 'war' against it, Held provides a strong antidote to the simplistic deliverances of 'moral clarity' many of our political leaders and 'public intellectuals' claim to possess." - Igor Primoratz, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Held's work on violence and terrorism is exceptionally clear, persuasive, and edifying. This is an area of applied philosophy that is just now developing and in which there is, not surprisingly, widespread interest." - Cheshire Calhoun, Professor of Philosophy, Arizona State University