From Child Terrorism to Peace Activism

ISBN-13: 9783031165849 / Angielski / Miękka / 2023

Jonathan Matusitz

Opis

This book examines the reasons for which children join terrorist movements and how they eventually become peace activists fighting the very crimes that they once committed. The transformation of child terrorists into peace activists has received scant attention from academics and practitioners alike. Particular focus is placed on child jihadism, child terrorism in Africa and Latin America, child separatist terrorism, and White child supremacism. These five groups of child terrorists represent about 80% of the problem across the world. 

The text serves as a primer for anti-terrorism and peace activism for global social change. It includes original, applied research and features personal accounts from former child terrorists who became peace activists themselves. One of the nine chapters provides an in-depth thematic analysis of the lives of 24 subjects (from all five aforementioned groups). The analysis produced four main themes that encapsulate the time and effort that it takes to become a peace activist today: metamorphosis, terrorist behavior, disillusionment, and anti-terrorist behavior. The book ends with multiple solutions from the perspective of social work, including the reintegration of former child terrorists into society.

From Child Terrorism to Peace Activism is a resource of deep and broad appeal. The text is essential reading for upper-level undergraduate and Master’s students in political science, military studies, international relations, international law, and peace and conflict studies. It can be pertinent reading for students and instructors in international social work contemplating social work-related solutions to rehabilitate former child terrorists and child soldiers into society through peace activism, anti-terrorist endeavors, and other socio-psychological methods that will produce social change. The text also would appeal to faculty and students in childhood studies with an interest in child terrorism, child development, and child trauma and resilience. Given the essentials, depth, and possibilities that the book offers, it is a useful resource for audiences within counterterrorism institutes, national security agencies, and academic think-tanks. Information on motives, strategies, radicalization processes, and recruitment methods used by terrorist organizations as well as their effects on various audiences will draw readers from law enforcement agencies and institutions.

Spis treści

1    Introduction

1.1  Objectives of This Book

1.2  What Is Terrorism?

1.3  What Does “Child” Mean?

    1.3.1  Childhood as a Social Construct

    1.3.2  “Child” in Sociocultural Contexts around the World

1.4  Child Terrorism

    1.4.1  Child Terrorists vs. Child Soldiers?

    1.4.2  Always Aware of Being a Child Terrorist?

1.5  Competitive Works

1.6  Summary of Chapters

1.7  References

2    Reasons for Child Terrorism

2.1  State Failure

    2.1.1  Effects of Precarious Circumstances

    2.1.2  Poverty Always Causing Terrorism?

2.2  Cultural Arena

    2.2.1  Case Study: Pakistan

    2.2.2  Social Learning Theory

    2.2.3  Cultural Evolution (CE) Theory

2.3  Social Media Influences

    2.3.1  Terrorist Communication

    2.3.2  Blurring the Virtual and Real Worlds

    2.3.3  Frustration with Modernity

2.4  Total Institution

    2.4.1  Radicalization

    2.4.2  Case Study: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)

    2.4.3  Performance Theory

    2.4.4  Rituals

2.5  Kinship Factors

    2.5.1  Case Study: ISIS

    2.5.2  Case Study: White Supremacists

    2.5.3  Child Terrorists and Group Identity

    2.5.4  Case Studies on Jihadist Terrorism

    2.5.5  Social Identity Theory (SIT)

2.6  Identity Crises and Psychological Factors

    2.6.1  Risk–Taking Behavior

    2.6.2  Case Study: The Baader–Meinhof Gang

2.7  Susceptibility and Naïveté

2.8  Kidnapping or Forced Recruitment

2.9  Easy Prey for Suicide Missions

    2.9.1  Made, Not Born

    2.9.2  Case Study: Palestinian Children

2.10  Gender–Related and Sexual Reasons

2.11  References

3    Child Jihadism

3.1  Introducing Children to Jihad

    3.1.1  Hemingway Factor

    3.1.2  Case Study: Pakistan

3.2  Al–Qaeda

    3.2.1  The bin Ladens: Father and Son

    3.2.2  Children at U.S. Detention Centers

    3.2.3  Case Study: Omar Khadr

    3.2.4  Birds of Paradise

3.3  The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)

    3.3.1  Recruitment Methods

    3.3.2  “Cubs of the Caliphate”

    3.3.3  Sister’s Role in Jihad

    3.3.4  Material Benefits

    3.3.5  Indoctrination

3.4  References

4    Child Terrorism in Africa and Latin America

4.1  Human Security Concerns

4.2  Africa’s Weapons Problem

4.3  Child Suicide Bombers in Africa

    4.3.1  Girl Suicide Bombers

    4.3.2  Case Study: Boko Haram in Nigeria

4.4  RENAMO in Mozambique

    4.4.1  RENAMO Child Terrorists

    4.4.2  Processes of Indoctrination

4.5  The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)

    4.5.1  The LRA’s Children

    4.5.2  Case Studies: Unknown Girl and Lucy Aol

4.6  The Revolutionary United Front (RUF)

    4.6.1  The RUF Children

    4.6.2  The RUF’s Modus Operandi

4.7  Child Terrorists in Latin America

4.8  Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso)

    4.8.1  Recruitment of Children

    4.8.2  Total Institution

    4.8.3  Popular Schools

4.9  Child Terrorists in Colombia

    4.9.1  Child Recruitment

    4.9.2  The FARC’s Children

4.10  References

5    Child Separatist Terrorism and White Child Supremacism

5.1  The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

    5.1.1  Sri Lankan State Repression

    5.1.2  Child Tamil Tigers

    5.1.3  Total Institution

    5.1.4  Child Suicide Bombers

5.2  The Irish Republican Army (IRA)

    5.2.1  Children in the Provisional IRA

    5.2.2  Case Study: Two IRA Children

    5.2.3  The Fianna

5.3  White Supremacism

    5.3.1  White Child Supremacism

    5.3.2  Online Recruitment

    5.3.3  Differences between Racial Groups

    5.3.4  Stormfront

    5.3.5  The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)

5.4  References

6    From Child Terrorism to Peace Activism: An Overview

6.1  Peace Activism

    6.1.1  What Is Peace Activism?

    6.1.2  Peace Spaces

    6.1.3  Accidental vs. Lifelong Activists

    6.1.4  Grassroots Activism

6.2  The World as One

    6.2.1  Dialogic Communication

    6.2.2  Cultural Wisdom and Empowerment Communication

6.3  Social Movement Theory (SMT)

    6.3.1  Social Media

    6.3.2  Mediation

6.4  Framing Theory

    6.4.1  Mobilizing the Public

    6.4.2  Collective Action Frames

    6.4.3  Frame Alignment and Narrative Fidelity

6.5  Social Representations Theory (SRT)

6.6  References

7    From Child Terrorism to Peace Activism: Case Studies

7.1  Identification of the 24 Subjects

7.2  Mean Age, Median Age, and Gender

7.3  Former Child Jihadists

    7.3.1  Aimen Dean

    7.3.2  Khairul Ghazali

    7.3.3  Mosab Hassan Yousef

    7.3.4  Maajid Nawaz

    7.3.5  Yasmin Mulbocus

    7.3.6  Mohammed Khalid

7.4 Former African Child Terrorists

    7.4.1  Grace Akallo

    7.4.2  Junior Nzita Nsuami

    7.4.3  Mohamed Sidibay

    7.4.4  Ishmael Beah

    7.4.5  China Keitetsi

7.5  Former Child Separatist Terrorists

    7.5.1  Shane Paul O’Doherty

    7.5.2  Henry Robinson

    7.5.3  Antonythasan Jesuthasan

    7.5.4  Nazir Ahmad Wani

    7.5.5  Yussef Bazzi

7.6  Former Child Terrorists in Latin America

    7.6.1  Lurgio Gavilán Sánchez

    7.6.2  Sara Morales

    7.6.3  Yineth Trujillo

    7.6.4  Mario Escobar

7.7  Former White Child Supremacists

    7.7.1  Angela King

    7.7.2  Christian Picciolini

    7.7.3  Arno Michaelis

    7.7.4  Tony McAleer

7.8  References

8    From Child Terrorism to Peace Activism: A Thematic Analysis

8.1  Making Sense of One’s Life Experience

8.2  Research Questions

8.3  Thematic Analysis

8.4  Step 1: Familiarization with the Data

8.5  Step 2: Creation of Codes

8.6  Step 3: Theme Search

8.7  Step 4: Theme Definition

    8.7.1  Theme 1: Metamorphosis

    8.7.2  Theme 2: Terrorist Behavior

    8.7.3  Theme 3: Disillusionment

    8.7.4  Theme 4: Anti–Terrorist Behavior

8.8  Step 5: Data Analysis

    8.8.1  Analysis of Theme 1: Metamorphosis

    8.8.2  Analysis of Theme 2: Terrorist Behavior

    8.8.3  Analysis of Theme 3: Disillusionment

    8.8.4  Analysis of Theme 4: Anti–Terrorist Behavior

8.9  Step 6: Conclusions

8.10  References

9    Discussion, Theoretical Implications, and Solutions

9.1  On Being Child Terrorists

9.2  On Being Peace Activists

9.3  Theoretical Implications

    9.3.1  Social Learning Theory

    9.3.2  Cultural Evolution (CE) Theory

    9.3.3  Performance Theory

    9.3.4  Social Identity Theory (SIT)

    9.3.5  Social Movement Theory (SMT)

    9.3.6  Framing Theory

    9.3.7  Social Representations Theory (SRT)

9.4  Solutions: General Perspectives

    9.4.1  Naming and Shaming?

    9.4.2  Financial Assistance?

9.5  Solutions: Reintegration Perspectives

    9.5.1  Child Terrorists vs. Other Offenders

    9.5.2  Age and Attitude

    9.5.3  Education and Deradicalization

    9.5.4  Two Case Studies

    9.5.5  Helping Them though Community Resilience

    9.5.6  Preventing Recidivism

9.6  Solutions: Legal Perspectives

    9.6.1  Considering International Humanitarian Laws

    9.6.2  Prosecuting Adult Trainers Too

9.7  Final Thoughts

9.8  References

O autorze

Jonathan Matusitz, PhD, is currently an associate professor in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. 

Jonathan Matusitz’s research focuses on the role of communication in terrorism, symbolism in terrorism, and the globalization of culture and new media. His research methodologies include thematic analysis, qualitative interviewing, semiotics, and theoretical analysis. On top of having about 160 academic publications and over 170 conference presentations, he taught at a NATO-affiliated military base in Belgium in 2010. 

Dr. Matusitz has already published seven books on terrorism: Terrorism & Communication: A Critical Introduction (Sage, 2013); Symbolism in Terrorism: Motivation, Communication, and Behavior (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015); Online Jihadist Magazines to Promote the Caliphate: Communicative Perspectives (Peter Lang, 2019); Global Jihad in Muslim and non-Muslim Contexts (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020); Female Terrorism in America: Past and Current Perspectives (Routledge, 2020); Communication in Global Jihad (Routledge, 2021); and Fundamentals of Public Communication Campaigns (Wiley, 2022).