Tribe and (Counter) Terror

Download or read book Tribe and (Counter) Terror written by Mohammad Ghaedi and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most terrorist organizations are created and grow in tribal countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. From the literature in social psychology, we know that groups impact individuals' behavior; therefore, tribes, as critical groups in the region, might influence their members' participation in (counter) terrorism. What, then, is the relationship between tribes and (counter) terrorism in Iraq? The literature of terrorism has covered various ideational, institutional, and individual variables, but there is a gap regarding tribes. This research attempts to fill this gap. It hypothesizes that, in Iraq, given tribal social identity, tribal values (such as honor, manhood, and bravery), tribal cohesion (asabiah), tribal conformity, obedience to tribe leaders (sheiks), and tribe members' perception of positive response (like support) or negative response (like ostracism) to conformity and obedience, tribe members are likely to participate in (counter) terrorism if their tribes demant it. To test these hypotheses, in-depth interviews with tribesmen in the south of Iran and Iraq were conducted and thematically analyzed. This study found that Iraqi tribesmen are likely to participate in (counter) terrorism upon their tribes' demand. The findings of this study are crucial due to their contribution to theory-building as well as their policy implications in deterring terrorism.