NCJ Number
43151
Date Published
1977
Length
283 pages
Annotation
THE ORIGINS, HISTORY, SOCIOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, TACTICS, AND DOCTRINES OF TERRORISM ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
THE ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF WORLDWIDE TERRORISM ARE DISCUSSED. THE AUTHOR OUTLINES THE 'PHILOSOPHY OF THE BOMB,' PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE DOCTRINE OF 'PROPAGANDA BY DEED' AND THE TERRORIST TEACHINGS OF JOHANN MOST. TERRORISM AND NATIONALISM, RIGHT-WING TERRORISM, AND THE MARXIST VIEW OF TERRORISM ARE ALSO EXAMINED. A CHAPTER ON THE SOCIOLOGY OF TERRORISM INCLUDES DISCUSSIONS OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, FINANCES, INTELLIGENCE, AND ARMS. COUNTERTERRORISM AND TERRORIST TACTICS ARE TREATED, AND THE ROLES OF THE MEDIA, POPULAR SUPPORT, AND INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS IN INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TERRORISM ARE EXPLORED. THE AUTHOR STATES THAT ATTEMPTS TO GENERALIZE ABOUT THE 'TERRORIST PERSONALITY' ARE OF LIMITED VALUE. INTERPRETATIONS OF TERRORISM ARE DISCUSSED, AND CONTEMPORARY TERRORISM IS CLOSELY EXAMINED, WITH EMPHASIS ON LATIN AMERICA, NATIONALIST AND SEPARATIST STRUGGLES, COMMUNISM AND TROTSKYISM, AND THE NEW LEFT. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES BY DISPELLING SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING TERRORISM AND OFFERING PERSPECTIVES ON THE FUTURE OF TERRORISM.