Chapter 1: Defining Terrorism

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the American definition of terrorism?

a. The United States coordinates its definition of terrorism with allied European countries.

b. The United States has adopted an official definition of terrorism.

c. The United States has not adopted a single definition of terrorism as a matter of government policy.

d. both “the United States coordinates its definition of terrorism with allied European countries” and “the United States has adopted an official definition of terrorism”.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Defining Terrorism in the United States

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Terrorism from below committed by nonstate movements and groups against governments, ethno-national groups, religious groups, and other perceived enemies is referred to as ______.

a. state terrorism

b. dissident terrorism

c. religious terrorism

d. international terrorism

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Types of Terrorism

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. The statement “one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter” ______.

a. refers to the importance of one’s perspective regarding political violence

b. was a rallying slogan from the French Revolution

c. was a rallying slogan from the Russian Revolution

d. both “was a rallying slogan from the French Revolution” and “was a rallying slogan from the Russian Revolution”

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “One Person’s Terrorist Is Another Person’s Freedom Fighter”

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. The statement “one man willing to throw away his life is enough to terrorize a thousand” ______.

a. is a rallying slogan used by suicide bombers

b. is a very ancient concept concerning the fear chat can be created by a dedicated adversary

c. is attributed to the Chinese military philosophers Sun Tzu and Wu Chi

d. both “is a very ancient concept concerning the fear chat can be created by a dedicated adversary” and “is attributed to the Chinese military philosophers Sun Tzu and Wu Chi”

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “One Man Willing to Throw Away His Life Is Enough to Terrorize a Thousand”

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. The statement “extremism in defense of liberty is no vice” ______.

a. represents an explanation for how and why violent extremists justify their violent actions

b. was a rallying slogan used during the 1964 U.S. presidential election

c. neither “represents an explanation for how and why violent extremists justify their violent actions” nor “was a rallying slogan used during the 1964 U.S. presidential election”

d. both “represents an explanation for how and why violent extremists justify their violent actions” and “was a rallying slogan used during the 1964 U.S. presidential election”

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “Extremism in Defense of Liberty is No Vice”

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. The statement “it became necessary to destroy the town to save it” ______.

a. represents an explanation for how violent extremists justify their violent actions

b. was a rallying slogan used to explain the U.S. war in Vietnam

c. neither “represents an explanation for how violent extremists justify their violent actions” nor “was a rallying slogan used to explain the U.S. war in Vietnam”

d. both “represents an explanation for how violent extremists justify their violent actions” and “was a rallying slogan used to explain the U.S. war in Vietnam”

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “It Became Necessary to Destroy the Town to Save It”

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. Conventional warfare and terrorism are distinguishable by which of the following attributes?

a. Conventional warfare is very successful in comparison to terrorism.

b. Terrorism is a “dirtier” and more unfair method of violence.

c. Conventional warfare is waged primarily to defeat an adversary’s armed forces, whereas terrorism is used primarily to affect a broad audience or population.

d. Terrorism is a “poor man’s warfare” whereas conventional warfare is a “rich man’s warfare.”

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Various

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Which of the following statements most accurately describes attributes of extremism?

a. Extremism represents a lunatic fringe.

b. Extremism represents the fertile soil from which terrorism grows.

c. Extremism represents the just indignation of the oppressed of the world.

d. both “extremism represents a lunatic fringe” and “extremism represents the fertile soil from which terrorism grows”

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain the importance of identifying the common characteristics of extremism and understanding the world view of extremist adherents.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Defining Extremism

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. The debate on defining terrorism ______.

a. was resolved in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States

b. was resolved by political leaders and scholars

c. is an ongoing process

d. both “was resolved in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States” and “was resolved by political leaders and scholars”

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Formal and Informal Definitions

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Which of the following statements is most accurate?

a. All terrorists are extremists.

b. All extremists are terrorists.

c. All hate crimes are acts of terrorism.

d. both “all extremists are terrorists” and “all hate crimes are acts of terrorism”.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Defining Extremism

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. The Political Violence Matrix is designed to represent which of the following?

a. scales of violence, but not terrorism

b. terrorism, but not scales of violence

c. scales of violence and terrorism

d. none of these

Learning Objective: 1-4: Apply the Political Violence Matrix as a conceptual tool to interpret the quality of violence.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Political Violence Matrix

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. Which of the following statements regarding extremism is most accurate?

a. Extremists always live on the margins of society.

b. Some extremists have justifiable grievances against their adversaries.

c. “One person’s extremist is another person’s neighbor.”

d. Extremists clearly understand oppression.

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain the importance of identifying the common characteristics of extremism and understanding the world view of extremist adherents.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Perspective 2: Participants in a Terrorist Environment

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Which of the following characteristics most accurately describes attributes of extremism?

a. tolerance

b. new language and conspiratorial beliefs

c. moral relativism

d. both “tolerance” and “new language and conspiratorial beliefs”

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain the importance of identifying the common characteristics of extremism and understanding the world view of extremist adherents.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: New Language and Conspiratorial Beliefs

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. The worldview of extremists will often ______.

a. set them apart from the rest of society

b. consist of conspiracy theories

c. give them a very clear sense of mission and purpose

d. all of these

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain the importance of identifying the common characteristics of extremism and understanding the world view of extremist adherents.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The World of the Extremist

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. Which of the following propositions most accurately describes guerrilla warfare.

a. Guerrilla warfare is synonymous with terrorism.

b. Guerrilla warfare exhibits a strategy of hit-and-run warfare.

c. Guerrilla warfare often fields large standing armies.

d. both “guerrilla warfare is synonymous with terrorism” and “guerrilla warfare exhibits a strategy of hit-and-run warfare”.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Guerrilla Warfare

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Which of the following propositions most accurately describes the status of captured terrorists?

a. As enemy combatants, they are afforded legal protections under international law.

b. As prisoners of war, they are afforded legal protections under international law.

c. The rights of captured terrorists are affected by what their designation is when captured.

d. both “as prisoners of war, they are afforded legal protections under international law” and “the rights of captured terrorists are affected by what their designation is when captured”.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Problem of Labeling the Enemy in the New Era of Terrorism

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. Types of terrorism include ______.

a. seasonal terrorism

b. conventional terrorism

c. dissident terrorism

d. all of these

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Dissident Terrorism

Difficulty Level: Easy

18. Among participants in a terrorist environment, which of the following creates perspectives, interprets incidents, and labels the other participants?

a. the onlooker

b. the analyst

c. the supporter

d. none of these

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Analyst

Difficulty Level: Medium

19. Among participants in a terrorist environment, which of the following represents a symbolic feature of the terrorists’ enemies?

a. the onlooker

b. the analyst

c. the supporter

d. none of these

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Playing to the Audience: Objectives, Victims, and Constituencies

Difficulty Level: Medium

20. Among participants in a terrorist environment, which of the following serves as a patron for the terrorists?

a. the onlooker

b. the analyst

c. the supporter

d. none of these

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Perspective 2: Participants in a Terrorist Environment

Difficulty Level: Medium

True/False

1. Indiscriminate force is considered to be a moral use of force when it is applied against specific targets.

Learning Objective: 1-4: Apply the Political Violence Matrix as a conceptual tool to interpret the quality of violence.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Indiscriminate and Discriminate Force

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. All extremists are terrorists.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Extremism

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. All terrorists are extremists.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Extremism

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Scholars and political leaders have established a single and clear definition of terrorism.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Formal and Information Definitions

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Figuring out whether someone is a “terrorist” or “freedom fighter” is never a matter of perspective.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. The Political Violence Matrix describes scales off violence, but not terrorism.

Learning Objective: 1-4: Apply the Political Violence Matrix as a conceptual tool to interpret the quality of violence.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Political Violence Matrix

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Extremists always live on the fringe of societies.

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain the importance of identifying the common characteristics of extremism and understanding the world view of extremist adherents.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The World of the Extremist

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. Freedom fighters are always the “good guys” in a cause.

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain the importance of identifying the common characteristics of extremism and understanding the world view of extremist adherents.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. The United States uses a single unified definition of terrorism.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Defining Terrorism in the United States

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Terrorists are easily identified as terrorists.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “One Person’s Terrorist is Another Person’s Freedom Fighter”

Difficulty Level: Medium

Short Answer

1. What is the significance of the following statement: “One person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter”?

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “One Person’s Terrorist Is Another Person’s Freedom Fighter”

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. What is the significance of the following statement: “One man willing to throw away his life is enough to terrorize a thousand”?

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “One Man Willing to Throw Away His Life Is Enough to Terrorize a Thousand”

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. What is the significance of the following statement: “Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice”?

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “Extremism in Defense of Liberty is No Vice”

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. What is the significance of the following statement: “It became necessary to destroy the town to save it”?

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “It Became Necessary to Destroy the Town to Save It”

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Briefly discuss several differences between warfare and terrorism.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Various

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Why is it critically important for one to understand the nature and quality of extremism when studying the attributes of terrorism?

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain the importance of identifying the common characteristics of extremism and understanding the world view of extremist adherents.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Defining Extremism

Difficulty Level: Hard

7. Briefly discuss the official American approach toward defining terrorism.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Terrorism in the United States

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Briefly discuss the importance of context and perspective in the debate over defining terrorism.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?

Difficulty Level: Hard

9. In what ways do the example of the Cold War revolutionaries suggest that idealism is an important factor in extremist behavior?

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Cold War Revolutionaries

Difficulty Level: Hard

10. Briefly critique the official labeling of political opponents and supporters by governments.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Analyst

Difficulty Level: Medium

Essay

1. Discuss the political violence matrix and how it is used to conceptualize modern terrorism.

Learning Objective: 1-4: Apply the Political Violence Matrix as a conceptual tool to interpret the quality of violence.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Political Violence Matrix

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. What is extremism? What are its common characteristics? Why is extremism frequently justified by activists as being necessary? Explain your answer.

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain the importance of identifying the common characteristics of extremism and understanding the world view of extremist adherents.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Extremism

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Why are there so many definitions of terrorism? What has been the difficulty in arriving at a common definition? Critique some of these definitions.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Formal and Informal Definitions

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. Few revolutionaries in the developing world, if any, would describe their behavior as terrorism. Yet, many Cold War and post-Cold War revolutionaries engaged in what could be defined as terrorism. Discuss, from their perspective, whether these tactics were acts of terrorism.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Cold War Revolutionaries

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. If terrorism and guerrilla warfare are examples of “poor man’s warfare,” in your opinion are they therefore necessary and understandable options? If so, why? If not, why not?

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Guerrilla Warfare

Difficulty Level: Hard

6. In what ways do you think the definition of terrorism will change or evolve in the era of the New Terrorism?

Learning Objective: 1-2: Demonstrate the knowledge of the common features of formal definitions of terrorism.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Defining Terrorism

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. The New Terrorism will be the predominant terrorist environment for the foreseeable future. In what ways have we all become participants in the modern environment?

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Various

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Identify and discuss the participants of a terrorist environment and how each of them can interpret an incident different.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Perspective 2: Participants in a Terrorist Environment

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Discuss the difference between terrorism and freedom fighting.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Perspective 3: Terrorism or Freedom Fighting?

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. Discuss the importance of using political labels to describe friends and foes.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Discuss whether violence should be classified as terrorism by recognizing the contextual perspectives of perpetrators and participants in terrorist environments.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Perspective 2: Participants in a Terrorist Environment

Difficulty Level: Hard