Page 159 - 《国际安全研究》2021年第4期
P. 159
Vo1. 39, No. 4, July/August 2021
Abstract
3 A Study on Dominant Metaphors and Their Consequences in
Counter-terrorism Governance: Reflections on the US Anti-terrorism
Discourse since the September 11 Attacks
ZENG Xianghong and CHEN Kerui
[Abstract] After the September 11 incident, international anti-terrorism efforts seem
to have been stuck in a vicious circle of “the more you fight terrorism, the more they
thrive.” This phenomenon is closely related to people’s mentality of “the more you
talk about terrorism, the more terrifying it seems to be,” which could be attributed to
the existence and widespread use of metaphors. In counter-terrorism governance,
terrorism-related metaphors, as an essential way of thinking, can be enlightening,
but it may also limit people’s thoughts and behaviors in regard to terrorism owing to
its randomness and highlighted (as well as hidden) features. When it comes to
terrorism-related politics, media and academic discourses in the United States,
dominant metaphors are “the fight against terrorism is a war,” “terrorism is
something barbaric,” “terrorism is a disease,” and “terrorism is an undesirable
plant.” These metaphors are deeply rooted in historical practices, people’s fears,
social systems and public opinions, and to a large extent represent people’s orthodox
views on terrorism. Although the metaphorical analysis and the use of multiple
metaphors cannot eliminate the metaphorical trap, they can at least help alleviate it
to a certain extent. Therefore, in the process of counter-terrorism governance, it is of
paramount importance to adhere to a stance with the dominant metaphorical
expressions of “terrorism is a crime,” flexibly employ various measures, rebuild the
damaged political order, and reduce harms to innocent civilians and discriminations
against Muslims.
[Keywords] terrorism governance, metaphor, metaphorical trap, September 11 attack,
war on terror
[Authors] ZENG Xianghong, Professor, Institute for Central Asian Studies, School
of Politics and International Relations, Lanzhou University; CHEN Kerui, M. A.
Student, School of Politics and International Relations, Lanzhou University
(Lanzhou, 730000).
32 Threat Perceptions, Objectives and Paths of Counter-terrorism
Governance in Contemporary Western Countries
SHEN Xiaochen
[Abstract] Perceptions of terrorism threat can exert decisive influences on the
effectiveness of governance-related policies and serve as an effective entry point for
external policy evaluation. Threat perceptions, by virtue of influencing policy
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