Abstract

In this paper, the author points out that the definition of terrorism is a theoretical basis for understanding the issue of terrorism, dealing with international anti-terrorist cooperation, and formulating relevant domestic policies. However, terrorism nowadays ismostly defined out of political needs but not out of academic motives. In addition, either from functionalism or from the essence of terrorism, the current way of defining terrorism has met with serious logical problems. The author argues that it is impossible to give a universal definition to terrorism either practically or theoretically. Instead, apluralized way of defining terrorism complies with the pluralized characteristics of the real world. Therefore, it is both academic and objective.

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