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After 9/11: Making Pacifism Plausible

Reader, Soran

Authors

Soran Reader



Contributors

Barbara Bleisch
Editor

Jean-Daniel Strub
Editor

Abstract

For many, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11th 2001 pressed the question of what is the right response to international violence. While some believe a 'war on terror' is the right response, pacifists rule it out. In this paper I compare terrorist attack with natural disaster to provide a new argument for a pacifist response to attack. In 1. I explain the victim-centred approach of this paper. In 2. I use the victim perspective to argue that terrorist attack is best seen as a natural disaster, and in 3. I argue that naturalistic explanations for violence support this view. In 4. I compare the different responses of key bystanders, the American political elite, to patent disasters and to 9/11. In 5. I spell out why a 'war on terror' is an irrational and impermissible response. In 6. I consider what a rational response informed by the victim perspective and empirical research on violence will be, and in 7. I conclude.

Citation

Reader, S. (2006). After 9/11: Making Pacifism Plausible. In B. Bleisch, & J. Strub (Eds.), Pazifismus : Ideengeschichte, Theorie und Praxis (205-221). Haupt Verlag

Publication Date Jan 1, 2006
Deposit Date Jan 24, 2008
Pages 205-221
Book Title Pazifismus : Ideengeschichte, Theorie und Praxis.
Chapter Number 9
Keywords Pacifism, Violence, War, Disaster.
Publisher URL http://www.haupt.ch/verlagsshop/oxid.php/cl/details/anid/9783258069470

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