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The importance of cultural variables for explaining suicide terrorism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2014

C. Dominik Güss  and
Ma. Teresa Tuason
C. Dominik Güss
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224. [email protected]://www.unf.edu/bio/N00174812/ Trimberg Research Academy – TRAc, Otto-Friedrich Universität Bamberg, 96047 Bamberg, Germany.
Ma. Teresa Tuason
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health (Clinical and Mental Health Counseling), University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224. [email protected]://www.unf.edu/bio/N00174682/
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Abstract

Lankford criticizes the notion that suicide terrorists are “normal” and argues that they are suicidal. We have two misgivings about this. First, he puts sole focus on the personal side of suicidality and ignores the individual's context. Second, he fails to elaborate on the intent to harm others, which must also include the cultural, political, religious/ideological, and social-organizational factors of suicide terrorism.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 4 , August 2014 , pp. 370 - 371
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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References

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