My Daughter The Terrorism Summary

Terrorism has become an important topic in the recent decades, often as a negative connotation of immorality. Does terrorism as used by the modern states mean what they expunge? The documentary My Daughter the Terrorist and lecture by Dr. Bryan present different pictures on some realities behind the term terrorism. My Daughter the Terrorist focuses on the life of a soldier in the Tamil Tigers, what is considered a terrorist organization in Sri Lanka. Dr. Bryan is an Irish anthropologist that is looking at modern definitions and explanations for the label terrorism. The beginning of a good analysis requires defining what is being studied, but as Dr. Bryan discusses terrorism is a tough definition to nail down. In his lecture, he explains that there does not seem to be a universal definition, but many people who study it try to make their own. Bryan complied the most common terms that makeup most definitions. Terrorism is the threat of political violence that has some symbolic or communicative value. Often these acts are committed against civilian or noncombatant subjects, by non-state actors in an illegal war. These themes can also be manipulated to mean a whole host of
When looking at the common conception of terrorism the group fits in perfectly. They attack civilian targets, not a legally acknowledged nation, and are not legally at war with Sri Lanka. Although these definitions seem to match, the definition itself is biased. For example, look at the definition of terrorism provided by the United States State Department. There are several key terms that warp this definition, noncombatant and subnational groups. The focus on subnational groups, or cultures that do not conform to the national standards creates a problem in the application of the overall term. The Tamil Tigers fashion themselves as freedom fighters, their self-proclaimed goal is to free the people from the Sri Lankan