Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues

"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."
—Timothy N. Cash, S2 Institute Orlando

In the same dynamic spirit as the prior edition, the Second Edition of Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues continues to provide students with an interesting, accessible and comprehensive exploration of contemporary terrorism. This new edition is completely updated to offer the most recent theories and cases related to terrorist activity and efforts to combat terrorism over the last three years.

New to the Second Edition:

• Offers a new chapter on religious terrorism: Because religious terrorism has become so prominent in the world today, it is important for readers to investigate the different manifestations of religious violence. This new chapter evaluates the historical and modern origins, as well as the quality of religious terrorism to help students develop a contextual perspective on the modern era of religious violence. 
• Includes coverage of cutting-edge issues: New material on gender-selective terrorism and the nexus between criminal enterprises and terrorist violence is provided to orient readers to these emerging topics and stimulate critical thinking. A consolidated chapter on ideological terrorism is also included, in which the causes of left-wing and right-wing terrorism are identified, as are the qualities of ideological violence. 
• Provides updated pedagogy: Opening Viewpoints begin each chapter to express in human terms the roots and responses to terrorism. All maps, tables, case studies, and Web exercises have been updated to help students better understand the concepts and issues presented within the text. In addition, more photos are used to help illustrate the violence caused by terrorist activity as well as provide visual context to other areas of the world and different time periods.  

Accompanied by High-Quality Ancillaries!

• Instructor's Resource CD-ROM: provides test questions, maps from the book, and guidance on using Discussion Boxes
• Companion Web site at www.sagepub.com/Martin2Study containts research articles focusing on terrorism that are useful to instructors and students alike for review and further research

Intended Audience:

This text is ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Political Conflict in the fields of Criminal Justice, Political Science, Administration of Justice, Sociology, Public Administration, and Peace Studies; as well as for professionals, such as law enforcement, corporate, or other agency employees.