Meta-level Terrorism Futures: Constructing and deconstructing using Causal Layered Analysis

Terrorism literature is replete with concerns for the future, endorsing terrorism as an unwavering problem of the past, present and well into the future. These concerns must be challenged by identifying and engaging with stakeholders and with alternate visions of terrorism futures, such as futures alignment and even competing utopian terrorism futures. To achieve this level of insight, one must take a journey into the various layers of terrorism knowledge – the litany, systemic causes, worldviews and myths to examine interdependencies and disconnects, frames, and metaphors. The application of Futures Studies theories and methods, such as Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) and Scenarios, facilitates the deconstruction of the ‘unwavering ’ terrorism problem and the construction of alternative terrorism futures. This thesis advocates the view that there are different levels of terrorism knowledge; the litany, systemic causes, worldview and myth. The litany and systemic are commonly dealt with in much existing terrorism literature, bu