Kategoria BISAC: Political Science >> Terrorism

In The Rise and Fall of Al-Qaeda, Gerges, a public intellectual known widely for his expertise on radical ideologies, including jihadism, argues that the Western powers have become mired in a "terrorism narrative," stemming from the mistaken belief that America is in danger of a devastating attack by a crippled al-Qaeda. To explain why al-Qaeda is no longer a threat, he...

In counterterrorism circles, the standard response to questions about the possibility of future attacks isthe terse one-liner: Not if, but when. This mantra supposedly conveys a realistic approach to the problem, but, as Joseba Zulaika argues in "Terrorism," it functions as a self-fulfilling prophecy. By distorting reality to fit their own worldview, the architects of the War on Terror prompt the behavior they seek to prevent a twisted logic that has already played out horrifically in Iraq. In short, Zulaika contends, counterterrorism has become pivotal in promoting terrorism.

Exploring...

A startling look at the deepest, darkest secrets that terrorists pray you'll never know

For decades, experts from the most powerful governments and prestigious universities around the world have told us that suicide bombers are psychologically normal men and women driven by a single-minded purpose: self-sacrifice. As it turns out, this claim originated with the terrorist leaders themselves, who insisted that they would never recruit mentally unstable people to carry out suicide attacks. As these strikes have become both increasingly common and increasingly deadly, no...

Drawing on his extensive scholarship in the study of secular and...

Ryan examines the Salafist roots of al-Qaeda ideology and the contributions of its most...

By juxtaposing the deterioration of these situations against Britain's celebrated legacy of counterinsurgency, this investigation identifies both the contributions and limitations of traditional tactics in such settings, exposing a disconcerting gap...

Transnational politics, modern communications, and access to the tools of warfare have combined to give political movements the ability to wage global war to promote their own agendas, a development that has changed the face of both politics and warfare. Fowler examines current aspects of conducting war, including mobilization, funding, training, fighting, and intelligence to demonstrate how they are accessible to anyone and are well-suited to waging insurgency efforts in many places around the world. Such efforts force governments to deal with unforeseen enemies who violently advance...

This team of international experts analyses the possibilities and limitations of preventing or reducing terrorism by addressing the factors that give rise to it and sustain it. The key questions raised include:

* what are the main circumstances that provide preconditions for the emergence of various types of terrorism?

* what are the typical precipitants that trigger terrorist campaigns?

* to what extent is it possible to reduce the problem of terrorism by influencing these causes and circumstances?

* should we address those factors that sustain terrorist...

This new Reader aims to guide students through some of the key readings on the subject of terrorism and political violence.

In an age when there is more written about terrorism than anyone can possibly read in a lifetime, it has become increasingly difficult for students and scholars to navigate the literature. At the same time, courses and modules on terrorism studies are developing at a rapid rate. To meet this challenge, this wide-ranging Reader seeks to equip the aspiring student, based anywhere in the world, with a comprehensive introduction to the study of terrorism....