War on Terror and repoliticization of the fear. Scope and effects of homegrown terrorism in Western societies

Abstract

Although, since classical antiquity, fear has been considered as a decisive factor to influence the opinion of human beings, its cardinal importance for politics will be formulated during the Renaissance and, fundamentally, Modernity. Thenceforth, fear will be considered the essential element of the social order while, on the contrary, terror will be conceived as an adverse factor to all forms of civil life. Thus, fear became the privileged link between sovereign power and the protection of the lives of the citizens. Centuries later, this relationship underwent significant changes since the attack on the Twin Towers. This attack initiated the transformation of the West as a war scenario, the end of the state prerogative to declare war and the installation of the premise that every person, regardless of nationality or religion, is suspected of being a threat to the society in which they live. Based on these considerations, this article will address the relationship between fear and politics and the consequences of the emergence of terror as a new variable that signifies the subjectivities of people and the dynamics of government.