Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues

Praise for the First Edition: `I am very favorably impressed with this book. The author is well informed and an excellent writer. The recommended readings, Web sites, boxes, tables and the like provide very attractive features. There is an abundance of very good historical and current examples. I would adopt this book for my courses and look forward to its publication' - Frank Hagan, Mercyhurst College Understanding Terrorism, Second Edition, is a uniquely comprehensive exploration of contemporary terrorism, suitable for professional as well as for academic courses of instruction. It incorporates key topics as well as discussion boxes and Web exercises intended to stimulate critical thinking in readers - a true "one-stop shop" for gaining an understanding of the field. New to the Second Edition: - new chapters on religious terrorism, a consolidated chapter on ideological terrorism, and a new chapter on two cutting-edge topics: gender-focused political violence and the nexus between criminal enterprises and terrorist violence; - a resource Website devoted to the book to enhance learning; - introductory `opening viewpoints in each chapter to give an overview of the concepts explored within. Understanding Terrorism is one of the first core studies on the subject of terrorism, offering a comprehensive review of the events, ideas, motivations and histories that result in terrorist activity, as well as an examination of the theories helping to explain such activity.

Table of Contents:
Terrorism: A Conceptual Review Terrorism: First Impressions Chapter Introduction The Past as Prologue: Historical Perspectives on Terrorism First Considerations: Exploring Definitions, Sources, and Ideologies The Morality of Terrorist Violence: Four Quotations Terrorism and Criminal Skill: Three Cases in Point Terrorist Symbolism: Oklahoma City and September 11, 2001 Chapter Summary The Nature of the Beast: Defining Terrorism Chapter Introduction Reactionaries and Radicals: Revisiting the Classical Ideological Continuum Understanding Extremism: The Foundation of Terrorism Defining Terrorism: An Ongoing Debate The American Context: Defining Terrorism in the United States A Definitional Problem: Perspectives on Terrorism The Political Violence Matrix Chapter Summary Beginnings: The Causes of Terrorism Chapter Introduction Extreme Convictions: Motives of Terrorists Extreme Circumstances: Explanations of Terrorism Chapter Summary The Terrorists Terror From Above: State Terrorism Chapter Introduction The Problem of Accountability: Monitoring State Terrorism The State as Terrorist: A State Terrorism Paradigm Violence Abroad: State Terrorism as Foreign Policy Violence at Home: State Terrorism as Domestic Policy Chapter Summary Terror From Below: Dissident Terrorism Chapter Introduction The Rebel as Terrorist: A Dissident Terrorism Paradigm Operational Shifts: The New Morality and the Rise of Terrorist Cells Warring Against the State: Antistate Dissident Terrorism Warring Against a People: Communal Terrorism Chapter Summary Violence in the Name of the Faith: Religious Terrorism Chapter Introduction Primary and Secondary Motives: The Idiosyncratic Quality of Religious Terrorism Historical Cases in Point: Fighting, Dying, and Killing in the Name of the Faith State-Sponsored Religious Terrorism in the Modern Era Dissident Religious Terrorism in the Modern Era The Future of Religious Terrorism Chapter Summary Violent Ideologies: Terrorism from the Left and Right Chapter Introduction Radicals and Reactionaries: A Comparison Left-Wing Ideologies and Activism Class Struggle and National Liberation: The Terrorist Left Right-Wing Ideologies and Activism Race and Order: The Terrorist Right Violent Ideologies in the New Era of Terrorism Chapter Summary Terrorist Spillovers: International Terrorism Chapter Introduction Defining International Terrorism Globalized Revolution: Reasons for International Terrorism Globalized Solidarity: International Terrorist Networks The New Era of International Terrorism Postscript: The “Stateless Revolutionaries” Chapter Summary Emerging Terrorist Environments: Gender-Selective Terrorism and Criminal Dissident Terrorism Chapter Introduction Culture and Conflict: Gender-Selected Victims of Terrorist Violence Protecting the Enterprise: Criminal Dissident Terrorism A Global Problem: Regional Cases of Criminal Terrorism Chapter Summary The Terrorist Trade Tools of the Trade: Tactics and Targets of Terrorists Chapter Introduction The Purpose: Terrorist Objectives The Means: Terrorist Methods The Focus: Terrorist Targets The Outcome: Is Terrorism Effective? Chapter Summary The Information Battleground: Terrorist Violence and the Role of the Media Chapter Introduction Two Perspectives: The Media and Governments A New Battleground: The War for the Information High Ground The Public’s Right to Know: Regulating the Media Chapter Summary Final Analysis The American Case: Terrorism in the United States Chapter Introduction An Introduction to the American Case Background to Terrorism: Leftist Activism and Ideological Extremism in America Left-Wing Terrorism in the United States Background to Terrorism: Rightist Activism and Ideological Extremism in America Right-Wing Terrorism in the United States The New Millennium and International Terrorism in the United States Chapter Summary Responding to Terror: The Options Chapter Introduction Background: An Overview of Options Warlike Operations: Counterterrorism and the Use of Force Operations Other Than War: Repressive Options Operations Other Than War: Conciliatory Options Applying the Rule of Law: Legalistic Options Chapter Summary What Next? The Future of Terrorism Chapter Introduction An Overview of Near-Term Projections The Future of Terrorism: New Threats in the New Millennium Controlling Terrorism: New Challenges for a New Millennium Prospects for Terrorism in the United States Chapter Summary Appendixes Glossary Index

About the Author :
C. Augustus “Gus” Martin is Director of the School of Public Service and Justice at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He is also a Professor of Criminal Justice Administration, where he regularly teaches a course on the subject of terrorism and extremism. He has 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, the administration of justice, and juvenile justice.  Dr. Martin is author of several books on the subjects of terrorism and homeland security, including Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies (SAGE Publications, 2022); Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues (SAGE Publications, 2021); Understanding Homeland Security (SAGE Publications, 2020); 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 Publications, 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.

Review :
The updated Second Edition of Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues is an excellent purchase for both college-level reference holdings and for assigned reading for college-level courses on social issues. Added here is a new chapter on religious terrorism, reviews of new material on gender terrorism and criminal businesses, updates on pedagogy, and a format which includes test questions, amps from the book, and more on both a CD-ROM and an accompanying web site. Plenty of examples from events around the world pepper surveys which cover the politics, economics, and social foundations of international terrorist experiences. "The best stand-alone text for university courses." "Gus Martin's Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues is the best stand alone comprehensive textbook for university courses. Its 696 pages cover the spectrum of all issues involved in studying terrorism . . . Each chapter is organized pedagogically, with opposing viewpoints and issues for classroom discussion." "Understanding Terrorism sets the standard as a textbook and baseline for anyone who desires to increase their real world knowledge of terrorism. It is an enlightening piece to a most difficult puzzle." "Let me say that this book is one of the most comprehensive works on the matter that I have ever had the pleasure of reading." "Gus Martin's Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues (Second Edition) is one of the finest stand-alone, comprehensive textbooks for university courses.  Each chapter is organized pedagogically, with opposing viewpoints and issues for classroom discussion."