Abstract
The lack of a universally applicable definition of terrorism has confounded the understanding of terrorism since the term was first coined in 18th Century France. Although a myriad of definitions of terrorism have been advanced over the years, virtually all of these definitions have been crisis-centered, frequently reflecting the political perspectives of those who seek to define it. In this article, we deconstruct these previously used definitions of terrorism in order to reconstruct a definition of terrorism that is consequence-centered, medically relevant, and universally harmonized. A universal medical and public health definition of terrorism will facilitate clinical and scientific research, education, and communication about terrorism-related events or disasters. We propose the following universal medical and public definition of terrorism: The intentional use of violence - real or threatened - against one or more non-combatants and/or those services essential for or protective of their health, resulting in adverse health effects in those immediately affected and their community, ranging from a loss of well-being or security to injury, illness, or death.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 47-52 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Prehospital and Disaster Medicine |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2003 |
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Keywords
- adverse effect
- death
- definition
- disaster
- event
- health
- healthcare system
- injury
- medical definition
- non-combatant
- psychological injury
- public health
- terrorism
- violence
- vulnerable
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Emergency
- Emergency Medicine
Cite this
A proposed universal medical and public health definition of terrorism. / Arnold, Jeffrey L.; Örtenwall, Per; Birnbaum, Marvin L.; Sundnes, Knut Ole; Aggrawal, Anil; Arantharaman, V.; Al Musleh, Abdul Wahab; Asai, Yasufumi; Burkle, Frederick M.; Chung, Jae Myung; Vega, Felipe Cruz; Debacker, Michel; Corte, Francesco Della; Delooz, Herman; Dickinson, Garth; Hodgetts, Timothy; James Holliman, C.; Macfarlane, Campbell; Rodoplu, Ulkumen; Stok, Edita; Tsai, Ming Che.
In: Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, Vol. 18, No. 2, 2003, p. 47-52.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A proposed universal medical and public health definition of terrorism
AU - Arnold, Jeffrey L.
AU - Örtenwall, Per
AU - Birnbaum, Marvin L.
AU - Sundnes, Knut Ole
AU - Aggrawal, Anil
AU - Arantharaman, V.
AU - Al Musleh, Abdul Wahab
AU - Asai, Yasufumi
AU - Burkle, Frederick M.
AU - Chung, Jae Myung
AU - Vega, Felipe Cruz
AU - Debacker, Michel
AU - Corte, Francesco Della
AU - Delooz, Herman
AU - Dickinson, Garth
AU - Hodgetts, Timothy
AU - James Holliman, C.
AU - Macfarlane, Campbell
AU - Rodoplu, Ulkumen
AU - Stok, Edita
AU - Tsai, Ming Che
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - The lack of a universally applicable definition of terrorism has confounded the understanding of terrorism since the term was first coined in 18th Century France. Although a myriad of definitions of terrorism have been advanced over the years, virtually all of these definitions have been crisis-centered, frequently reflecting the political perspectives of those who seek to define it. In this article, we deconstruct these previously used definitions of terrorism in order to reconstruct a definition of terrorism that is consequence-centered, medically relevant, and universally harmonized. A universal medical and public health definition of terrorism will facilitate clinical and scientific research, education, and communication about terrorism-related events or disasters. We propose the following universal medical and public definition of terrorism: The intentional use of violence - real or threatened - against one or more non-combatants and/or those services essential for or protective of their health, resulting in adverse health effects in those immediately affected and their community, ranging from a loss of well-being or security to injury, illness, or death.
AB - The lack of a universally applicable definition of terrorism has confounded the understanding of terrorism since the term was first coined in 18th Century France. Although a myriad of definitions of terrorism have been advanced over the years, virtually all of these definitions have been crisis-centered, frequently reflecting the political perspectives of those who seek to define it. In this article, we deconstruct these previously used definitions of terrorism in order to reconstruct a definition of terrorism that is consequence-centered, medically relevant, and universally harmonized. A universal medical and public health definition of terrorism will facilitate clinical and scientific research, education, and communication about terrorism-related events or disasters. We propose the following universal medical and public definition of terrorism: The intentional use of violence - real or threatened - against one or more non-combatants and/or those services essential for or protective of their health, resulting in adverse health effects in those immediately affected and their community, ranging from a loss of well-being or security to injury, illness, or death.
KW - adverse effect
KW - death
KW - definition
KW - disaster
KW - event
KW - health
KW - healthcare system
KW - injury
KW - medical definition
KW - non-combatant
KW - psychological injury
KW - public health
KW - terrorism
KW - violence
KW - vulnerable
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=3843116861&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=3843116861&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1049023X00000753
DO - 10.1017/S1049023X00000753
M3 - Article
C2 - 15074482
AN - SCOPUS:3843116861
VL - 18
SP - 47
EP - 52
JO - Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
JF - Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
SN - 1049-023X
IS - 2
ER -