Terrorism: Religion or Economically Driven - Research Paper Example

Practical side of the problem is highlighted in detail by discussing a case study on the cause of the riots between the minorities Uyghur and the majority Han in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province in western China. The article seems to be favoring religion more associated than economic issues, as the driving force behind terrorism worldwide. Initially, extremist ideologies related to either secular or religious types become a cause of terrorism, although people generally adhere to such extremist ideologies as an outcome of more basic political or individualistic reasons.

When these perspectives are taken and used to explain happenings and lead actions, they tend to advance to a dynamic of their own, and possibly may degrade to inhuman treatment of the enemy and justify oppressions. Sometimes, unruly governments give rise to opposition that may turn to terrorist acts if other possibilities are not viewed as actionable alternatives for ousting these governments with a more valuable and genuine government or a governance which shares the values and aspirations of the opposite viewpoints (EU, 2008).

Promoting prejudiced views from an ethnic or religious outlook is the main cause of ethno-nationalist terrorism. When minority population is regularly kept away from their cherished rights not to avail equal social and economic opportunities, hindered from stating their cultural identities, such as not given the freedom of speaking their language or following their religion or not included in political activity, this can provoke them to stand with separatist movements that may select the path leading to terrorism or other types of violent movement.

Ethnic nationalisms are more possible to promote terrorism than the sober and inclusive civic nationalisms (EU, 2008). Juergensmeyer (2005) perceives the social and economic issues wrapped in the religious clothing when he analyzes a number of so called religious movements such