Leaderless Resistance, Networked Organization, and Ideological Hegemony

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4087754
AutoresPhillip W Gray (0000-0002-7220-4251, Texas A&M University at Qatar, autor de correspondencia)
Año2013
Volumen25
Número5
Páginas655-671
Fecha de publicación2013-11-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaTerrorism and Political Violence (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0954-6553 • E-ISSN: 1556-1836
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09546553.2012.674077
OpenAlexW1966386390
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7

This article examines various forms of “new terrorism,” specifically the structure of “leaderless resistance,” in connection with Robert Michels’ idea of the “iron law of oligarchy.” It is usually argued that “leaderless resistance” movements lack some of the typical obstacles of terrorist (and other) organizations, given their non-hierarchical and comparatively fluid natures. However, a new form of oligarchy develops in this type of movement, located in the propagation of key ideological concepts/arguments/symbols, the assigning of target preferences, and the elevation or demotion of others within the movement broadly. Rather than oligarchy forming via the material assets of organizations, an “ideational” oligarchy is created that shapes the goals of leaderless resistance movements: those leaders who are already established, and who control the means of communicating the movement's ideas to the widest audience, will impede the growth of groups and individuals within the movement that attempt to supplant their role. This article will use the examples of certain eco-terror groups (the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front) to explicate this development

Aesthetics · Democracy · Epistemology · Hegemony · Ideology · Oligarchy · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Terrorism · Engineering · Law · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence