Terrorism as a manifestation of the ideological crime: culturological aspects of counteraction

The subject. The issues of combating terrorism through the prism of culture are examined in the article.The purpose of the article is to show the anti-terroristic measures through the scope of culture.The description of methodology. The author uses methods of complex analysis, synthesis, as well as formal-legal, comparative-legal methods in cultural aspect.The main results and scope of their application. Acts of terrorism are frequent and occur almost worldwide.Counter-terrorism through criminal penalties is ineffective, because: 1) there are a lot of people among the terrorists who are law-abiding, criminal behavior is not typical for them; 2) in case of terrorist acts by suicide bombers they could not be objectively deter by the threat of punishment; 3) criminal punishment, including capital punishment, can give him the halo of a martyr.Acts of terrorism cause a serious public outcry. Attempts to strengthen the criminal repression are being made often as a consequence of the impact of terrorist attacks. However, such a reaction to the terrorist attacks appears due to a desire to symbolically restore the social justice. The application of criminal repression is deeply symbolic, because it is always culturally determined. The execution of a terrorist should also be considered as an element of symbolic exchange (punishment instead of a crime). Terrorism is motivated ideologically, that’s why it may be regarded as a kind of ideological crime. Its foundation is a system of views, concepts that allow the offender consider crime as right, morally justified, committing for a higher purpose.Conclusions. It is proposed to consider the fight against terrorism as primarily a struggle with the idea that caused it to life, through the anti-terrorist propaganda, the formation of a negative image of the terrorist in popular culture, minimization of highlighting terrorist attacks and those, who committed them, in the press. The basis of counter-terrorism due to the conflict of cultures is the idea of a dialogue between them. Developing a strategy to counter terrorism we should take into account the risks that inevitably arise in connection with the limitation of rights and freedoms of people. Counter-terrorism is not a convenient reason for explaining the growing influence of law enforcement on social processes, especially for undermining the democratic foundations of the state.