Victims' issues in Northern Ireland and Spain: a conceptual and theoretical review

Abstract

The history of the mobilisation led by Victims of Terrorism organisations in Spain is relatively recent. Normally, victims of terrorism organisations appear after an event or protracted campaign of violence occurs (Muldoon, 2003). In the Spanish case that is not different. Most of the organisations present in the country appear following the violence that the Basque organisation ETA implemented since the 60s. However, to understand fully the appearance of and organisational entity it is important to explore the perception of social mobilisation that the victims may hold. Therefore, two factors are needed to explain the appearance of victims mobilisation: the existence of political violence and the perception that mobilisation is useful and, more important, needed. The Spanish case study has a very well documented of the former (Saez de la Fuente Almada, 2011; Douglass & Zulaika, 1990; Reinares, 1984), but not all of the events consequence of political violence gave way to a victims mobilisation and organisations: ETA and the 11 of March bombings. The difference between these factors and others present in Spanish history (extreme right violence, state terrorism (Rapaport, 2004) ) is the prior existence of a social mobilisation.