The Importance of Language:

: Critically Assessing Norway's New Law on Lone Wolf Terrorism

Abstract

September 11 2001 changed the field of terrorism studies, and even though the world has known terrorism for a long time, this event seemed to redefine the term. The event resulted in a massive interest in terrorism and the renewed interested has resulted in a great many studies that have sought to illuminate and explain the terrorist threat, not least how to counter it. Not surprisingly, most Western countries have implemented a series of new laws to deal with terrorists and protect their countries and people after 9/11 and other terrorist attacks. This is the case in Norway at the moment where a new law on solo-terrorism is in the making as a response to the terrorist attacks on 22/7 2011. This thesis uses critical discourse analysis to study the discursive construction of the Norwegian counter-terrorism approach. It does so by analysing the two main counter-terrorism strategies, the legal definition of terrorism and ultimately the new law on solo-terrorism. The analysis identifies several discursive strands that are common counter-terrorism documents from the EU and the USA, but which have not been prevalent up till now in Norwegian counter-terrorism discourse. These include: the fusion of terrorism and crime, and the threat to an open or globalized society. The analysis of the law also reveals an assumption that Norway has to get up to speed with other countries in the counter-terrorism work, and that the need for new laws is eminent. This thesis will also argue that the new law in its current form may pose a threat to civil liberties through extensive legislation and access to widespread monitoring of internet traffic and people.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Aberystwyth University
Supervisor	Claudia Hillebrand (Supervisor)