Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues

Understanding Terrorism, Fourth Edition, offers a multidisciplinary, comprehensive exploration of contemporary terrorism that helps readers develop the knowledge and skills they need to critically assess terrorism in general and terrorist incidents in particular. The Fourth Edition of this best-selling book presents new, updated theories, cases, and incidents as well as new photographs, updated tables, and enhanced graphics. An entirely new chapter is devoted to homeland security in the United States and Europe. Key Features - Opening Viewpoints at the beginning of each chapter present relevant examples of theories and themes that will be discussed in the following chapter - grabbing readers′ attention and drawing them into the material that follows. - Current case material helps students grasp the real-world necessity for understanding terrorism by featuring the most up-to-date case studies on recent terrorist environments such as the threat from home-grown jihadists in the West and the narco-terrorist events in Mexico. - Discussion Boxes that conclude each chapter highlight controversial issues and pose challenging questions which stimulate critical thinking and debate. - Comprehensive Tables throughout further enhance the reader′s understanding. - A Strong support package (more expansive than any other competitive title) helps to maximize the teaching and learning experience.

Table of Contents:
About the Author Acknowledgments Introduction and Rationale Part I. Terrorism: A Conceptual Review 1. Terrorism: First Impressions 2. The Nature of the Beast: Defining Terrorism 3. Beginnings: The Causes of Terrorism Part II. The Terrorists 4. Terror From Above: Terrorism by the State 5. Terror From Below: Terrorism by Dissidents 6. Violence in the Name of the Faith: Religious Terrorism 7. Violent Ideologies: Terrorism From the Left and Right 8. Terrorist Spillovers: International Terrorism 9. Emerging Terrorist Environments: Gender-Selective Political Violence and Criminal Dissident Terrorism Part III. The Terrorist Trade and Counterterrorism 10. Tools of the Trade: Tactics and Targets of Terrorists 11. The Information Battleground: Terrorist Violence and the Role of the Media 12. The American Case: Terrorism in the United States Part IV. Securing the Homeland 13. Counterterrorism: The Options 14. A New Era: Homeland Security 15. What Next? The Future of Terrorism Appendix A: Map References Glossary Index Photo Credits

About the Author :
Clarence Augustus “Gus” Martin is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Criminal Justice Administration at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where he teaches courses on criminal law, terrorism and extremism, and the criminal justice system. He served as the founding Chair of the department and as the founding Director of the School of Public Service and Justice. He also served as Associate Vice President for Human Resources Management, Acting Associate Dean of the College of Business Administration and Public Policy, Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs, and Chair of the Department of Public Administration. He began his academic career as a member of the faculty of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh, where he was an Administration of Justice professor. His current research and professional interests are terrorism and extremism, homeland security, and the administration of justice. Dr. Martin is author of several books on the subjects of terrorism and homeland security, including Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues (SAGE Publications, 2025); Terrorism and WMDs: Awareness and Response, Third Edition (with John Pichtel, CRC Press, 2025); Understanding Homeland Security (SAGE Publications, 2024); The Handbook of Homeland Security (with Scott Romaniuk and Martin Scott Catino; Routledge, 2023); Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies (SAGE Publications, 2022); Terrorism: An International Perspective (with Fynnwin Prager; SAGE Publications, 2019); The SAGE Encyclopedia of Terrorism, Second Edition (SAGE Publications, 2011); Terrorism and Homeland Security (SAGE, 2011); and The New Era of Terrorism: Selected Readings (SAGE Publications, 2004). He is also author of Juvenile Justice: Process and Systems (SAGE Publications, 2005). Prior to joining academia, Dr. Martin served as Managing Attorney for the Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh, where he was also director of a program created under a federal consent decree to desegregate public and assisted housing. He was also Special Counsel to the Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands on the island of St. Thomas. As Special Counsel, he occupied a personal and confidential position in the central office of the Department of Justice; sat as hearing officer for disciplinary hearings and departmental grievances; served as chair of the Drug Policy Committee; served as liaison to the intergovernmental Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee as well as to the Narcotics Strike Force; and provided daily legal and policy advice to the Attorney General. Prior to serving as Special Counsel, he was a “floor” Legislative Assistant to Congressman Charles B. Rangel of New York. As Legislative Assistant, he researched, evaluated and drafted legislation in areas of foreign policy, foreign aid, human rights, housing, education, social services, and poverty; he also drafted House floor statements, Congressional Record inserts, press releases, and news articles; and he composed speeches, briefing materials, and legislative correspondence. Dr. Martin received his A.B. degree from Harvard College, J.D. from Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, and Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.