Problems of Contemporary Society: How Terrorism Shaped Today’s Britain

Abstract

The transition period between the 20th and the 21st century in Great Britain was defined by the challenging duty of tackling the rising threat of terrorism. Terrorism in Great Britain has been a component of its history and also an outcome of internal conflicts throughout several historical periods. However, Britain’s growing power and influence around the globe has gradually caught the attention of new opposing forces whose origins extend beyond its borders. The Britain of today is under threat of two conflicting ideologies: white supremacy and Islamic extremism. Although these two groups tend to employ similar strategies, their contrasting goals inevitably clash against one another and their interference in Britain’s national security has resulted in multiple casualties and plunged the country into unwavering fear, flaring up nationalist ideals, media manipulation, political cynicism, and opportunism. The purpose of this academic paper is to analyze the modern definition of terrorism, the past and the present history of terrorist acts in Great Britain, the characteristics that distinguish and tie white supremacy and Islamic extremism together, the increasing popularity of far-right movements and conspiracy theories as well as the link to the rampant hate crimes and revenge attacks in Britain. The last section will explore how Brexit and the Irish border became once again the cause of uncertainty regarding the IRA in Northern Ireland.