Terrorism inside out: Terrorism through the lenses of cognitive mapping

Abstract

Terrorism is one of the main threats to modern peace and the security of humankind, causing incomparable damage, both political and economic, as well as physical and moral. Terrorists have increasingly begun to use their manifestos, publications, and messages in print or electronic form before they attack and to incite terrorist sentiments in society and conduct recruiting work. To provide in-depth analysis and investigation of written or verbal signals is vital for preventing terrorism, the technique of Comparative Cognitive Mapping will be used in this study. The study emphasizes that scholars have to pay more attention to analyzing terrorist statements and internal writings by looking for cues regarding the expected utility of terrorism in terrorist thinking. Moreover, it highlights that terrorist organizations are interconnected and influence each other.