1. Conflict, War and Terrorism
Chapter 16
Conflict, War and Terrorism

2. Chapter Outline The Global Context: Conflict in a Changing World
Sociological Theories of War
Causes of War
Terrorism

3. Chapter Outline
Social Problems Associated with Conflict, War, and Terrorism
Strategies for Action: In Search of Global Peace
Understanding Conflict, War, and Terrorism

4. War
War, the most violent form of conflict, refers to organized armed violence aimed at a social group in pursuit of an objective.
Whether war is just or unjust, defensive or offensive, it involves the most horrendous atrocities known to humankind.

5. War and the Development of Civilization
War resulted in small groups and villages becoming incorporated into larger political chiefdoms.
Centuries of war between chiefdoms culminated in the development of the state.

6. State
An apparatus of power, a set of institutions—the central government, the armed forces, the regulatory and police agencies—whose most important functions involve the use of force, the control of territory and the maintenance of internal order.

7. Cold War
The state of political tension and military rivalry that existed between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union.

8. Military Spending
Global military spending has been increasing since 1998, with dramatic increases between 2002 and 2005 as a consequence of U.S.-led post–September 11, 2001, expenditures.
According to government figures, the war in Iraq costs an estimated $4.3 billion a month; the war in Afghanistan costs $800 million a month.
The United States accounts for nearly half the world’s military spending.

9. Structural-Functionalist Perspective
Gives members a “common cause” and a common enemy.
In short term, war increases employment and stimulates economy.
Inspires developments that are useful to civilians.

10. Conflict Perspective on War
War is the result of antagonisms that emerge when two or more groups struggle for control of resources.
War benefits corporate, military, and political elites.

11. Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
Meanings and definitions influence attitudes and behaviors regarding conflict and war.
Attitudes and behaviors that support war develop in childhood.
Most world governments preach peace through strength, rather than strength through peace.

12. Question
Which sociological perspective suggests that war benefits the corporate, military, and political elites?
conflict theory
structural functionalism
strain theory
symbolic interactionism

13. Answer: A
Conflict theory suggests that war benefits the corporate, military, and political elites.

14. Causes of War Conflict over Land and Other Natural Resources
Conflict over Values and Ideologies
Racial and Ethnic Hostilities
Defense against Hostile Attacks
Revolution
Nationalism

15. Conflict over Values and Ideologies
World War II was largely a war over democracy versus fascism.
Cold War largely involved conflict over capitalism versus communism.
Wars over differing religious beliefs have led to some of the worst episodes of bloodshed in history.

16. Terrorism
Premeditated use, or threatened use, of violence to gain a political or social objective.
Transnational terrorism occurs when a terrorist act in one country involves victims, targets, institutions, governments, or citizens of another country.
Domestic terrorism is exemplified by the 1995 truck bombing of a nine-story federal office building in Oklahoma City, resulting in 168 deaths and the injury of more than 200 people.

17. International Terrorism by Region, 2003

18. Patterns of Global Terrorism
In 2003:
There were 208 transnational acts of terrorism.
The number of deaths from terrorist acts was 625.
A total of 3,646 people were wounded.
Thirty-five U.S. citizens were killed.
The Middle East had the highest rate of terrorist attacks, followed by Asia and Western Europe.
The Middle East had the highest number of deaths, followed by Asia and Western Europe.

19. Causes of Terrorism
A weak state unable to control terrorist operations.
Rapid modernization.
Extreme ideologies—religious or secular.
A history of political violence, civil wars, and revolutions.

20. Causes of Terrorism Repression by a foreign occupation
Large-scale racial or ethnic discrimination.
The presence of a charismatic leader.

21. Question
What are some of the causes or accompanying factors associated with acts of terrorism, with such behaviors as suicide bombings?
Extreme poverty.
Extreme autocratic rule.
Extreme ideological clashes in religious and/ or secular beliefs.
All of these choices.

22. Answer: C
Extreme ideological clashes in religious and/ or secular beliefs is associated with acts of terrorism, with such behaviors as suicide bombings.

23. The Process of Ideological Development

24. Reports of Prisoner Mistreatment at Guantanamo Bay
Isolated Incidents
Wider Pattern
Neither/ Don’t know
Men 56 64 10
Women 52 34 14
18-29 years old 43 46 11
30-49 years old 55 36 9
50-64 years old 59 28 13
65 years and older 25 19

25. Reports of Prisoner Mistreatment at Guantanamo Bay
Isolated Incidents
Wider Pattern
Neither/ Don’t know
White 57 31 12
Black 35 52 13
Hispanic 44 45 11
Republican 76 14 10
Democrat 43
Independent

26. Americans Killed in Wars:
WWI: Over 53,000
WWII: 292,000
Korea: 34,000
Vietnam: 47,000
Iraq - Between March 2003 and May 2005
13,000 U.S. troops have been wounded and 1,700 have been killed.
24,000 civilian deaths have been recorded.

27. Social Problems of War: Women and Children
Before and during WWII, the Japanese military forced 100,000 to 200,000 women and girls into prostitution as military “comfort women”.
Refugee women and female children are vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation.

28. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Symptoms include recurring nightmares, flashbacks, poor concentration.
Associated with family violence, alcoholism, divorce, and suicide.
Estimate 30% of male veterans of the Vietnam war have experienced PTSD, and about 15% continue to experience it.

29. Diversion of Economic Resources
In 2004 worldwide military expenditures approached $1.4 trillion.
This amount exceeds the combined government research expenditures on developing new energy technologies, improving human health, raising agricultural productivity, and controlling pollution.

30. Diversion of Economic Resources
If just 3% of the proposed military budget for 2006 was redirected toward domestic issues:
218,361 new teachers could be hired
health care coverage for 2.8 million uninsured could be provided

31. Diversion of Economic Resources
If just 3% of the proposed military budget for 2006 was redirected toward domestic issues:
the number of public safety officers could be expanded by 283,904
113,451 affordable housing units could be built
scholarships for 2.5 million university students could be provided

32. Selected Federal U.S. Outlays for 2005 (Estimated)

33. Question
Do you feel the government is spending too little, just the right amount, or too much, on military, armaments and defense.
Too little
Right amount
Too much

34. GSS National Data Political Party Democrat Independent Republican
Too little
15.4%
18.7%
27.3%
Right amount 48
45.3
50.8
Too much
36.6 36
21.9

35. United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Summary Data, 2005
Military personnel and civilian police serving in peacekeeping operations: 65,973
Countries contributing military personnel and civilian police: 105
International civilian personnel: 4,378
Local civilian personnel: 8,112

36. United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Summary Data, 2005
UN volunteers: 1,763
Fatalities in peacekeeping operations since 1948: 1,983
Budgets for 7/1/04 to 6/30/05: $4.47 billion
Total cost of operations from 1948 to 6/04: $36 billion

37. Mediation
A neutral third party facilitates negotiation between representatives or leaders of conflicting groups.

38. Arbitration
A neutral third party listens to evidence and arguments presented by conflicting groups and arrives at a decision or outcome that the two parties agree to accept.

39. Mutually-Assured Destruction (MAD)
In a full-scale nuclear war, both sides would be destroyed; if both sides would lose in a war, neither side would initiate war.

40. Quick Quiz

41. 1. What is the ultimate environmental catastrophe facing the planet?
a massive exchange thermonuclear war
global warming
chemical warfare
biological warfare

42. Answer A
The ultimate environmental catastrophe facing the planet is a massive exchange thermonuclear war.

43. 2. Which of the following is an example of domestic terrorism?
The bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993.
The bombing of the USS Cole naval ship in Yemen.
bombing of the federal office building in Oklahoma City in 1995.
The bombing of Pan-Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

44. Answer: C
The bombing of the federal office building in Oklahoma City in 1995 is an example of domestic terrorism.

45. 3. The United States accounts for how much of the world's military spending?
one quarter
about a third
nearly half
less than one quarter

46. Answer: C
The United States accounts for nearly half of the world's military spending.