| ID | 178911 |
| Title Proper | Primum Non Nocere – First Do No Harm |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Horgan, John ; Taylor, Max |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | This medical epithet seems to offer solid guidance for terrorism researchers and counterterrorism practitioners when thinking about the ethical implications of their work—to rephrase it, whatever you do, just don’t make it worse. It seems an appropriate guiding principle1 because although terrorism research remains even now largely dominated by theory (which, in pursuit of understanding, can seem removed from reality), the essence of terrorism lies in real-world practice—the actions of terrorists, and the concomitant actions of security, law enforcement and government agencies in response. And however we conceptualize these forces, they are in some measure reciprocally related, either reactively (in a terrorist event, or in responding to a terrorist event) or proactively (in preemptive initiatives). Such responses have consequences that impinge on individuals and society, and as such give rise to essentially moral questions about right and wrong, about harm and the consequences of behavior for others. The practitioner, researcher and terrorist therefore are all in some way participants in and subject to an appreciation of harm in a dynamic and complex moral decisional calculus. Of course, the idea of harm is itself complex; how much harm, and to whom or what? The researcher, society, government, employer, organization, family, tribe or even a concept like democracy, or the future? The idea of choice is also implied in that complex calculus; for whilst with hindsight a logic to choices can be discerned, in reality at the time of choice, there are often a number of possible alternative behavioral avenues to follow. |
| `In' analytical Note | Terrorism and Political Violence Vol. 33, No.1-4; Jan-Jun 2021: p.221-224 |
| Journal Source | Terrorism and Political Violence Vol: 33 No 1-4 |