Publication

This paper focuses on how leaders in Western countries talk about the "war on terrorism." It discusses the difficulties of defining terrorism and analyzes the phrase "war on terrorism" as an ontological metaphor. The authors analyze different perceptions of Western policymakers and offer proposals on how to cope with the societal risks linked to terrorism. The paper argues that metaphors like "war on terrorism" raise problems, do little to increase understanding and are highly counterproductive for communication on the global level.