Radical Feminist Rhetoric and Terrorism: The May 19th Communist Organization

Scholars have historically focused on explaining terrorist groups by reference to a variety of external factors believed to prompt politically motivated acts of violence. This essay seeks to extend and sharpen these insights. First, members of the May 19th Communist Organization were alienated by contemporary social justice movements. The members developed strong affective bonds with revolutionary figures which created a sense of differential belonging. Second, their commitment to a Marxist-Leninist utopian ideal functioned as an encyclopedic myth. These two elements provided them with a specific sense of agency, and established a rationale for violence. Several implications follow from these observations.