NCJ Number
217741
Date Published
2003
Length
407 pages
Annotation
This book offers undergraduate and graduate students an overview of global and domestic terrorism, with attention to terrorist acts and their relationship to culture, religion, history, politics, economics, and ideology.
Abstract
The first of eight chapters links contemporary terrorism to violence throughout history that has involved ethnic and class conflicts, religious fanaticism, extreme ideologies, and ancient hatreds. Chapter 2 discusses international terrorism in the age of globalization, with attention to terrorist events on the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America, where the world's terrorists are motivated by a variety of causes. The regional analysis focuses on state-sponsored terrorism, long-standing ethnic conflicts, separatist movements, and class struggles. Domestic terrorism is covered in the third chapter. An overview of the history of domestic terrorism covers both the extremists of the far left as well as those of the far right. Chapter 4 analyzes the organic relationship between the media and terrorism, which has had both positive and negative effects. The fifth chapter discusses the history of women's involvement in social conflict and the types of roles female terrorists are assigned. Case studies present examples of women who have dominated specific terrorist groups. Conventional terrorist tactics are discussed in chapter 6. These include assassinations, hijackings, kidnappings, and bombings. Unconventional terrorist tactics are discussed in chapter 7. It discusses the history and potential impacts of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. It also reviews the threats posed by cyberterrorism. The final chapter discusses counterterrorism from the perspectives of foreign affairs and domestic policy. Chapter highlights of reprinted article, notes, and references, a subject index, and appended information on locations of worldwide terrorist activity and background information on specific terrorist groups