Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist

Atle Møen

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12

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Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist

Atle Møen

Published in Social Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 6)

Received: 22 August 2021 Accepted: 12 October 2021 Published: 10 November 2021

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Abstract

This essay sketches out an analysis of some of the key aspects of the life course of Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian mass murderer and terrorist, as well as his typical delusional and paranoid traits. His acts of terror should be understood against the backdrop of a historical conjuncture, one that took place during the shift from class politics to identity politics and the “cultural struggle” on the one hand, and the emergence of precarious life courses within what I have dubbed the “education society” in Norway. Individuals who have experienced downward social mobility seem particularly predisposed to transforming ideological fantasies and delusions into rage, aggression, and violence. The essay takes an interdisciplinary approach. It is based on systematic reinterpretations of some empirical sources from journalism, extracts from the terrorist’s Manifesto and public records. On 22 July 2011, Behring Breivik detonated a home-made bomb outside a government building, killing eight people. Later that afternoon, he systematically and cold-bloodedly executed 69 young people who were isolated and gathered on an island, Utøya, for the annual summer camp of the Workers’ Youth Wing of the Norwegian Labour Party. These events continue to be a source of reflection in Norway today, 10 years after the terrorist attac.

Published in	Social Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12
Page(s)	261-268
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Terrorism, Social Mobility, Life Course

References

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Atle Møen. (2021). Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist. Social Sciences, 10(6), 261-268. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12

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Atle Møen. Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist. Soc. Sci. 2021, 10(6), 261-268. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12

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AMA Style

Atle Møen. Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist. Soc Sci. 2021;10(6):261-268. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12,
  author = {Atle Møen},
  title = {Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist},
  journal = {Social Sciences},
  volume = {10},
  number = {6},
  pages = {261-268},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20211006.12},
  abstract = {This essay sketches out an analysis of some of the key aspects of the life course of Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian mass murderer and terrorist, as well as his typical delusional and paranoid traits. His acts of terror should be understood against the backdrop of a historical conjuncture, one that took place during the shift from class politics to identity politics and the “cultural struggle” on the one hand, and the emergence of precarious life courses within what I have dubbed the “education society” in Norway. Individuals who have experienced downward social mobility seem particularly predisposed to transforming ideological fantasies and delusions into rage, aggression, and violence. The essay takes an interdisciplinary approach. It is based on systematic reinterpretations of some empirical sources from journalism, extracts from the terrorist’s Manifesto and public records. On 22 July 2011, Behring Breivik detonated a home-made bomb outside a government building, killing eight people. Later that afternoon, he systematically and cold-bloodedly executed 69 young people who were isolated and gathered on an island, Utøya, for the annual summer camp of the Workers’ Youth Wing of the Norwegian Labour Party. These events continue to be a source of reflection in Norway today, 10 years after the terrorist attac.},
 year = {2021}
}

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Atle Møen

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Atle Møen. (2021). Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist. Social Sciences, 10(6), 261-268. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12

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Atle Møen. Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist. Soc. Sci. 2021, 10(6), 261-268. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12

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AMA Style

Atle Møen. Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist. Soc Sci. 2021;10(6):261-268. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12,
  author = {Atle Møen},
  title = {Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist},
  journal = {Social Sciences},
  volume = {10},
  number = {6},
  pages = {261-268},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20211006.12},
  abstract = {This essay sketches out an analysis of some of the key aspects of the life course of Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian mass murderer and terrorist, as well as his typical delusional and paranoid traits. His acts of terror should be understood against the backdrop of a historical conjuncture, one that took place during the shift from class politics to identity politics and the “cultural struggle” on the one hand, and the emergence of precarious life courses within what I have dubbed the “education society” in Norway. Individuals who have experienced downward social mobility seem particularly predisposed to transforming ideological fantasies and delusions into rage, aggression, and violence. The essay takes an interdisciplinary approach. It is based on systematic reinterpretations of some empirical sources from journalism, extracts from the terrorist’s Manifesto and public records. On 22 July 2011, Behring Breivik detonated a home-made bomb outside a government building, killing eight people. Later that afternoon, he systematically and cold-bloodedly executed 69 young people who were isolated and gathered on an island, Utøya, for the annual summer camp of the Workers’ Youth Wing of the Norwegian Labour Party. These events continue to be a source of reflection in Norway today, 10 years after the terrorist attac.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Social Failure and Rage: The Downward Social Mobility and Unsettled Life Course of a Norwegian Terrorist
AU  - Atle Møen
Y1  - 2021/11/10
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12
T2  - Social Sciences
JF  - Social Sciences
JO  - Social Sciences
SP  - 261
EP  - 268
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-988X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211006.12
AB  - This essay sketches out an analysis of some of the key aspects of the life course of Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian mass murderer and terrorist, as well as his typical delusional and paranoid traits. His acts of terror should be understood against the backdrop of a historical conjuncture, one that took place during the shift from class politics to identity politics and the “cultural struggle” on the one hand, and the emergence of precarious life courses within what I have dubbed the “education society” in Norway. Individuals who have experienced downward social mobility seem particularly predisposed to transforming ideological fantasies and delusions into rage, aggression, and violence. The essay takes an interdisciplinary approach. It is based on systematic reinterpretations of some empirical sources from journalism, extracts from the terrorist’s Manifesto and public records. On 22 July 2011, Behring Breivik detonated a home-made bomb outside a government building, killing eight people. Later that afternoon, he systematically and cold-bloodedly executed 69 young people who were isolated and gathered on an island, Utøya, for the annual summer camp of the Workers’ Youth Wing of the Norwegian Labour Party. These events continue to be a source of reflection in Norway today, 10 years after the terrorist attac.
VL  - 10
IS  - 6
ER  -

Copy | Download