Descripciones mejoradas de Syndetics:

"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

The study of terrorism requires a review of the events, ideas, motivations, and histories that result in terrorist acts, as well as an examination of the theories that help explain this volatile behavior. Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues is a dynamic textbook for students who wish to explore the phenomenon of terrorism past and present. The text begins with a conceptual overview of terrorism, progresses to a focused discussion of the terrorists, investigates the nuances of the terrorist trade, and concludes with a final analysis of modern terrorism.

Understanding Terrorism is a primary source of information about terrorist typologies, the cause of terrorist violence, and responses to terrorism. The content emphasizes key perspectives and identifies critical issues, which also makes it an excellent resource for developing critical thinking on the subject. Accessibly written, each chapter has historical examples, case studies, discussion boxes, and Web exercises.

Features and Benefits:

Comprehensive yet Accessible. The text is written in an engaging style and includes appendixes that present focused information, including a chronology of historical events, a complete glossary, recommended Web sites and a list of relevant documentaries and dramatic films. Compelling. Cases in Point provide a "reality check" for important theoretical concepts discussed in the chapter and Perspectives are boxed topics of special interest for students. Stimulating. Discussion boxes present provocative information and pose challenging questions to promote critical thinking and further debate. Interactive. Web exercises are included for students and instructors to explore and discuss information found on the Internet.

Recommended for undergraduate and graduate students taking terrorism courses in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, political science, and public administration.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• 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

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Gus Martin is Assistant Professor of Public Administration at California State University -- Dominguez Hills, where he is coordinator of the Criminal Justice Administration program. He has also served on the faculty of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an Administration of Justice professor. He taught a popular course on terrorism at the University of Pittsburgh for several years that was offered every semester, and he has designed and taught a similar course at California State University. His research and professional interests are in the areas of administration of justice, terrorism and extremism, juvenile justice, and fair housing. He has served as a panelist for university and community symposia and interviews on the subjects of terrorism, administration of justice, and fair housing. He has also been a consultant to government and private agencies. Prior to joining academia, he was a legislative assistant to Congressman Charles B. Rangel of New York and Special Counsel to the Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition, he 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