Terrorism : A ‘creative’ solution to social insecurity

Abstract

As relatively young small developing nations, Caribbean states face a number of challenges which lend themselves to various manifestations of insecurity. For many individuals, one such challenge relates to socio-economic insecurity. As a vibrant and creative people, vulnerable Caribbean nationals have innovated countless ways to combat this type of insecurity – music, crafts, cottage industries - but also other via less legitimate, socially unacceptable and even criminal means. Using Trinidad and Tobago as a case study, this paper argues that political violence, couched specifically in the form of terrorism has emerged as a means of attempting to change life circumstances for some of those marginalised by poverty. It examines the genealogy of this type of terrorist activity in Trinidad and Tobago, beginning with the attempted coup of July 1990 and comparing it with the more recent activity of Trinidadians having migrated to Syria to fight with the terrorist insurgent group Daesh. As terrorism can introduce new forms of insecurity to the region, possibly impairing relationships with other states in the international system, I argue that it is imperative to recognise these socio-economic push factors and take them into consideration in policy making in order to be able to treat with the phenomenon meaningfully and protect our societies moving forward.