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Terrorism and Collective Responsibility
Contributor(s): Taylor Wilkins, Burleigh (Author)
ISBN: 041504152X     ISBN-13: 9780415041522
Publisher: Routledge
OUR PRICE:   $44.60  
Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats
Published: March 1992
Qty:
Annotation: "Terrorism and Collective Responsibility" is the first full-length examination of terrorism written by a philosopher. In this controversial study, Burleigh Taylor Wilkins relates terrorism to the problem of collective responsibility, and makes the provocative claim that terrorism may be morally justifiable under certain circumstances.
Wilkins suggests that the popular characterization of terrorists as criminals does not take into account the reasons that terrorists resort to violence, and maintains that terrorism should be distinguished from "ordinary" criminal activity. Wilkins discusses various models of collective responsibility, and relates terrorism to the just war tradition. Central to the book is the author's claim that terrorism cannot be understood apart from the problem of the collective responsibility of organized groups, such as political states, for wrongdoings committed against the groups which the terrorists represent.
Original in its thesis and timely in its examination of an issue crucial to today's world, this book will appeal to anyone interested in the moral issues surrounding terrorism.
Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- Philosophy
- Political Science | Terrorism
Dewey: 303.625
LCCN: 91016158
Lexile Measure: 1590
Series: International Library of Sociology (Paperback)
Physical Information: 0.4" H x 5" W x 8" (0.42 lbs) 172 pages
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:

The terrorist threat remains a disturbing issue for the early 1990s. This book explores whether terrorism can ever be morally justifiable and if so under what circumstances.
Professor Burleigh Taylor Wilkins suggests that the popular characterisation of terrorists as criminals fails to acknowledge the reasons why terrorists resort to violence. It is argued that terrorism cannot be adequately understood unless the collective responsibility of organised groups, such as political states, for wrongs allegedly done against the groups which the terrorists represent is taken into account. Terrorism and Collective Responsibility provides an analysis of various models of collective responsibility, and it takes into account recent discussions of military responsibility and business ethics. The book also explores the problems that terrorism poses for the just war tradition.
The arguments of prominent philosophers against terrorism are critically examined and the claim that terrorism necessarily violates the rights of innocent persons is considered. Wilkins sets forth an original definition of terrorism that is sure to provoke controversy.