Understanding a 'War' - an investigation into the framing of terrorism post-9/11
Authors
Pham, Thi Viet-Chi ; Weber, Simon Borch
Term
4. term
Publication year
2016
Submitted on
2016-07-29
Pages
129
Abstract
This thesis examines how terrorism has been framed in the United States, United Kingdom, and France after three major attacks (9/11, 7/7, 11/13), and how these framings relate to securitization and institutionalist theories in international relations. Using a comparative multiple case study, we first offer a genealogy of the terrorism discourse and the post-Cold War power context, and then conduct a policy analysis of counter-terrorism laws and official statements issued by the US, UK, France, NATO, and the UN in the immediate aftermath of each attack. The discussion interprets the findings through securitization and institutionalism (realist and liberal perspectives). The analysis indicates that terrorism has become a highly institutionalized security matter: leaders frequently call for liberal, internationally cooperative responses, yet these calls are voiced within a realist, war-like narrative. It also shows a shift in framing from an exclusively external enemy toward a threat increasingly perceived as internal. The study does not claim to be comprehensive; rather, it contributes to debates on terrorism and international relations and offers a foundation for future work on how framing shapes opportunities and limits for international counter-terrorism cooperation.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan terrorisme er blevet indrammet i USA, Storbritannien og Frankrig efter tre store angreb (9/11, 7/7, 11/13), og hvordan disse rammesætninger relaterer sig til teorier om securitisering og institutionalisme i international politik. Med et komparativt casestudie præsenterer vi først en genealogi over terrorisme-diskursen og magtforhold efter den kolde krig og gennemfører derefter en policyanalyse af anti-terrorlovgivning og officielle udtalelser fra USA, Storbritannien, Frankrig, NATO og FN umiddelbart efter hvert angreb. Diskussionen fortolker resultaterne gennem securitisering og institutionalisme (realistiske og liberalistiske perspektiver). Analysen peger på, at terrorisme er blevet et højt institutionaliseret sikkerhedsanliggende: ledere efterlyser ofte liberalistiske, internationale samarbejdsløsninger, men disse fremstilles inden for en realistisk, krigerisk fortælling. Den viser også et skifte i indramningen fra en udelukkende ekstern fjende mod en trussel, der i stigende grad opfattes som intern. Studiet gør ikke krav på at være udtømmende, men bidrager til debatten om terrorisme og internationale relationer og giver et afsæt for videre forskning i, hvordan rammesætning former muligheder og begrænsninger for internationalt anti-terror-samarbejde.
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Keywords
terrorism ; policy analysis ; bacchi ; foucault ; 9/11 ; institutionalism ; securitization