Labeling and Framing: Understanding Responses to Terrorism and the Far-Right

Abstract

The War on Terror narrative has created gaps in the critical understanding of terrorism studies, particularly in how the media and the state label politically motivated violence. The understanding of what terrorism means for western states has shifted dramatically after the events of September 11, 2001. With that shift, there has also been an increase in social movements that attempt to work within or work outside the current government rhetoric. However, the existence of such movements and groups and the violent acts they commit has been on the rise. This paper seeks to explore whether or not the inconsistent labeling of far-right social movement violence in western states as ‘lone wolf violence’ or ‘hate crime’ rather than ‘terrorism’ is detrimental to the critical understanding of both terrorism and counter terrorism.