Naming terrorism

a national and global picture

Abstract

The article examines the complexity and conceptual ambiguity of the term “terrorism”, highlighting its centrality in contemporary political debate and the challenges arising from the absence of a consensual definition. The first part discusses the definitional dilemma, analyzing how the multiplicity of interpretations serves different political and institutional interests. The text then explores the main international theoretical currents: orthodox studies, which treat terrorism as a pathological threat to the liberal order, and critical studies, which question the normative and political assumptions of the concept, problematizing the legitimacy of its selective application. Also discussed is the theory of “waves of terrorism” proposed by David Rapoport, which organizes the phenomenon into historical phases, although it is criticized for its limitation to the Western context. Finally, the article maps academic production in Portuguese, with emphasis on the pioneering work of Heleno Fragoso, who analyzes terrorism in the context of the Brazilian military dictatorship. It was observed that Lusophone literature, although relevant, still lacks greater theoretical articulation with critical and decolonial currents. The conclusion is that the debate on terrorism involves conceptual disputes with profound political implications. Strengthening production in Portuguese requires interdisciplinarity, dialog with global critical theories and attention to the specificities of political violence in Latin America and the global South.