Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues

The Fifth Edition has been comprehensively updated with new information on terrorist incidents, evolving terrorist environments, and emerging perspectives on counterterrorism and security. Author Gus Martin provides a fresh analysis of violent extremism throughout, with discussions of both international and domestic challenges and options. Focused discussion is provided on contemporary threats, new movements and tendencies, and the effectiveness of responses to these scenarios. Profiles are provided of prominent individuals, including updated information on longstanding extremist personalities. Discussion of policies and responses to terrorist environments has been augmented to include new perspectives on counterterrorist options, comparisons of domestic and international scenarios, and the contexts of promoting regional and national security. The effectiveness of policy options is discussed within the contexts of international threat scenarios, as well as domestic scenarios, including regional security challenges and responses. New to this edition:   An updated chapter on homeland security, including both American and European perspectives, has been designed to give the reader a stronger understanding of this timely topic. New discussions of contemporary topics, such as cyberterrorism, the role of social networking media, homegrown Mujahideen, and the evolving terrorist environment, have been included to expose readers to the most current issues in terrorism. New research and examples, such as the Boston Marathon bombing, the rise of ISIS, and Boko Haram, have been fully updated throughout to reflect recent events and changes in the field. New photos, tables, and interior design make the book more accessible and clear. 

Table of Contents:
Part I: Terrorism: A Conceptual Review Chapter 1: Terrorism: First Impressions First Considerations Conceptual Considerations: Understanding Political Violence The Past as Prologue: Historical Perspectives on Terrorism Terrorism and Criminal Skill: Three Cases from the Modern Era Chapter 2: The Nature of the Beast: Defining Terrorism Understanding Extremism: The Foundation of Terrorism Defining Terrorism: An Ongoing Debate A Definitional Problem: Perspectives on Terrorism The Political Violence Matrix Chapter 3: Beginnings: The Causes of Terrorism Political Violence as the Fruit of Injustice Political Violence as Strategic Choice Moral Justifications for Political Violence Moral Convictions of Terrorists Part II: The Terrorists Chapter 4: Terror From Above: Terrorism by the State The State as Terrorist: A State Terrorism Paradigm Violence Abroad: Terrorism as Foreign Policy Violence at Home: Terrorism as Domestic Policy The Problem of Accountability: Monitoring State Terrorism Chapter 5: Terror From Below: Terrorism by Dissidents The Rebel as Terrorist: A Dissident Terrorism Paradigm Warring Against the State: Antistate Dissident Terrorism Warring Against a People: Communal Terrorism Operational Shifts: Dissidents and the New Terrorism Chapter 6: Violence in the Name of the Faith: Religious Terrorism 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 7: Violent Ideologies: Terrorism From the Left and Right Reactionaries and Radicals: The Classical Ideological Continuum Left-Wing Ideologies and Activism Class Struggle and National Liberation: The Terrorist Left Right-Wing Activism and Extremism Race and Order: The Terrorist Right Violent Ideologies in the New Era of Terrorism Chapter 8: Terrorist Spillovers: International Terrorism Defining International Terrorism Globalized Revolution: Reasons for International Terrorism Globalized Solidarity: International Terrorist Networks The International Dimension of the New Terrorism Postscript: The “Stateless Revolutionaries” Chapter 9: Emerging Terrorist Environments: Gender-Selective Political Violence and Criminal Dissident Terrorism Culture and Conflict: Gender-Selected Victims of Terrorist Violence Protecting the Enterprise: Criminal Dissident Terrorism A Global Problem: Regional Cases of Criminal Dissident Terrorism Part III: The Terrorist Trade and Counterterrorism Chapter 10: Tools of the Trade: Tactics and Targets of Terrorists The Purpose: Terrorist Objectives The Means: Terrorist Methods The Focus: Terrorist Targets The Outcome: Is Terrorism Effective? Chapter 11: The Information Battleground: Terrorist Violence and the Role of the Media Two Perspectives: The Media and Governments Understanding the Role of the Media A New Battleground: The War for the Information High Ground The Public’s Right to Know: Regulating the Media Chapter 12: The American Case: Terrorism in the United States An Introduction to the American Case Left-Wing Terrorism in the United States Background to Terrorism: Left-Wing Activism and Ideological Extremism in America Background to Terrorism: Rightist Activism and Ideological Extremism in America Right-Wing Terrorism in the United States International Terrorism in the United States Part IV: Securing the Homeland Chapter 13: Counterterrorism: The Options Responding to Terror: The Scope 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 14: A New Era: Homeland Security Homeland Security in Perspective The American Case: Homeland Security in the United States Civil Liberties and Securing the Homeland Chapter 15: What Next? The Future of Terrorism An Overview of Near-Term Projections The Future of Terrorism: New Threats Controlling Terrorism: New Challenges Threats to the Homeland: Prospects for Terrorism in the United States

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 :
“This is the type of text you want to keep and refer to it for information of other topics.  It is a complete text that any student can learn from” “[Understand Terrorism] is very easy for students to grasp the concepts of what they are reading, the timeline is a phenomenal resource for students in tracking terrorist activity, and the explanations of different terrorist acts are a wonderful tool to enhance student engagement and discussion.” “The Student Study Site looks like a great resource for students. The amount of detail in the text is great.…The writing style is clear and concise. All of the material is presented in a manner that is conducive to learning.” “The length and writing style is appropriate for our student body, is interactive and certain to maintain student attention, and is conceptual.…This book is excellent.”