Understanding Terrorism
Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues
5th Edition
Published on 19. February 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
560 pages
978-1-4833-7898-5 (ISBN)
Description
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.
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.
Reviews / Votes
"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" -- Greg Allen "[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." -- Ronda M. Blevins "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." -- Matthew Costello "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." -- Shawn L. Schwaner, Ph.D.More details
Edition
5th Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Thousand Oaks
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 203 mm
Weight
970 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4833-7898-5 (9781483378985)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions
Book
12/2017
6th Edition
SAGE Publications Inc
€115.32
Article is exhausted; no reprint
Previous edition
Book
03/2012
4th Edition
SAGE Publications Inc
€97.99
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
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.
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.
Content
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
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