Description
Book SynopsisFocusing on the continued terrorist threat by jihadist groups, such as Al Qaeda and ISIS, and homegrown violent far-right and far-left extremists in the West, Terrorism and Counterterrorism investigates this form of political violence in a historical and contemporary context. In this comprehensive and highly readable text, renowned expert Brigitte Nacos clearly defines terrorismâs diverse causes, actors, and strategies; outlines anti- and counterterrorist responses; and highlights terrorismâs relationship with the public and media. Terrorism and Counterterrorism introduces students to the fieldâs main debates and helps them critically assess our understanding of, and our strategies for, addressing this complex and enduring issue.
New to the Seventh Edition:
- The new chapter 3 reviews the history of terrorismâboth domestic and international, whereas the new chapter 4 analyses the terrorist landscape in the third decade of the 21st centuryâincluding the transnational links between violent far-right and far-left violent extremists.
- The discussion of religious terrorism in chapter 5 ends with an added section about QAnon as religiopolitical cult.
- An extended section in chapter 7 is devoted to the increasingly militant roles of females in violent far-right extremism.
- The revised chapter 10 starts with the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from Afghanistan and an account of total costs spent on the post-9/11 war against terrorism before discussing the counterterrorism strategies of presidents G.W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden.
- The failures and successes of the U.S. intelligence community in efforts to prevent terrorism at home with relevant data and case studies are new features in chapter 12.
Table of Contents-
- Introduction: Terrorist Threats at Home and Abroad
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PART I: TERRORISM
- The Perennial Debate: What is Terrorism?
- A Historical Review of Terrorism
- The Terrorism Landscape in the third Decade of the Twenty-First Century
- Political Violence in the Name of God
- The Making of Terrorists: Causes, Conditions, Influences
- Women, Children and Terrorism
- Common Threads: Goals, Targets, and Tactics
- Organizational Structures, State Sponsors, and the Financing of Terror
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PART II : COUNTERTERRORISM
- Terrorism and American-Led Post-9/11 National Security Strategies
- The Utility of Hard and Soft Power in Counterterrorism
- Preventing Terrorism: The Crucial Role of Good Intelligence
- Balancing Security, Civil Liberties, and Human Rights
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PART III : TERRORISM IN THE NEWS MEDIA AND ON THE INTERNET
- Terrorist Propaganda and the Mainstream Media
- Terror and Hate in Cyberspace
- Conclusion: Living with Terrorist Threats
Appendix: Major Terrorist Incidents since the Late 1970s
