Terrorism and Political Violence

Terrorism and Political Violence
Author: Caroline Kennedy-Pipe
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 426
Release: 2015-02-10
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1473917220

This book introduces you to the key issues in contemporary studies on Terrorism. Its interdisciplinary approach provides a unique intellectual rigour which introduces readers to cutting-edge research. Bringing together chapters contributed by members of the Terrorism and Political Violence Association network, it offers an insight into a variety of traditional and critical perspectives. It also equips Undergraduate and Postgraduate students with the study skills needed to succeed in coursework and assignments, especially dissertation work. Drawing on the expertise of TAPVA members, this book: Explores contemporary issues, such as drone warfare, state violence, children and political violence, cyber-terrorism and de-radicalisation. Features case studies drawn from a range of international examples, lists of further reading, key concepts and questions for use in seminars and private study. Provides you with study skills content designed to help you complete your dissertation. This is the perfect textbook to guide you through your studies in terrorism, political violence, international security and strategic studies.

Understanding Terrorism and Political Violence

Understanding Terrorism and Political Violence
Author: Dipak K. Gupta
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2008-03-25
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1135982821

This book explains the lifecycle of terrorist organizations from an innovative theoretical perspective, combining economics with social psychology. It provides a new approach to understanding human behaviour in organized society, and then uses this to analyze the forces shaping the lifecycle of violent political movements. Economic and rational-choice theorists assume that human beings are motivated only by self-utility, yet terrorism is ultimately an altruistic act in the eyes of its participants. This book highlights the importance of the desire to belong to a group as a motivating factor, and argues that all of us face an eternal trade-off between selfishness and community concern. This hypothesis is explored through four key groups; the IRA in Northern Ireland, Al Qaeda, Hamas, and the Naxalites in India. Through this, the book analyzes the birth, growth, transformation and demise of violent political movements, and ends with an analysis of the conditions which determine the outcome of the war against terrorism. Understanding Terrorism and Political Violence will be essential reading for advanced students of terrorism studies and political science, and of great interest to students of social psychology and sociology.

Technology and Terrorism

Technology and Terrorism
Author: Paul Wilkinson
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 166
Release: 1993
Genre: Technology
ISBN: 0714645524

Does modern technology tilt the balance in favour of the terrorists in their constant battle to defeat the efforts of counter-terrorist agencies, or vice versa? How can we assess the feasibility and probability of terrorists in certain circumstances resorting to nuclear, chemical or biological weapons? Bearing in mind that terrorists have already resorted to mass murder in the form of sabotage bombing of airliners, tragically demonstrated in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, how effective have the aviation authorities been in using technology and other measures to combat this threat?

Examining Political Violence

Examining Political Violence
Author: David Lowe
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 410
Release: 2013-12-13
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1466588209

Security is undermined worldwide from political dissident activity and acts of terrorism targeted at innocent victims with no relation to the offenders. This political violence and terrorism plagues all continents and does not originate solely from jihadist groups. With a view towards developing more effective measures of prevention and resolution, Examining Political Violence: Studies of Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Internal War examines political violence in various national and international settings. A collection of works, some previously published as articles in the journal Police Practice and Research, the book provides both conceptual analysis and case studies, exploring historical and sociopolitical contexts of conflicts in order to help readers better understand these themes. Divided into three parts, the book begins by defining the concepts of terrorism and radicalization. It discusses countering terrorism through intelligence gathering, examines how a multiagency approach is necessary to be prepared for terrorist acts, and examines different policing models. It discusses the experiences of policing agencies’ investigations into terrorist groups, and examines the targeting of police officers by terrorist groups. Specifying the historical and sociopolitical contexts of conflicts is essential for understanding these themes. Control policies must be grounded in empirical realities, not ideological preferences or aversions. Bringing together theoretical concepts examined through operational and empirical findings, the book is written by academics researching the areas as well as practitioners working in the fields of counterterrorism and political violence. The conclusions drawn from these findings may assist in combating terrorism and political violence around the world.

The Foundations of Modern Terrorism

The Foundations of Modern Terrorism
Author: Martin A. Miller
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 307
Release: 2013
Genre: History
ISBN: 1107025303

A groundbreaking history of the roots of modern terrorism, ranging from early modern Europe to the contemporary Middle East.

Applying Psychology

Applying Psychology
Author: Orla Lynch
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2018-11-28
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0470683171

This volume investigates the application of psychological theory to the case of terrorism and political violence. This book offers a framework for approaching psychological research on terrorism that encourages an explicit orientation to the issues that have acted as road blocks to the potential for psychology as a discipline to meaningfully contribute to terrorism research. The framework encourages researchers to define the research parameters in clear concise terms, devoid of theoretical jargon and rooted in an understanding of real world social problems. Furthermore, researchers are encouraged to be explicit about the vantage point through which the problem is being viewed (i.e., is it a problem for participants themselves? For broader society, for policy-makers and other stakeholders?) and what the intended outcome of the research might be. Furthermore, this volume aims to demonstrate how to apply existing psychological theory to terrorist related phenomenon. In doing so, researchers are asked to consider whether the research problem is psychological in nature and if so, what existing theories can help explain, if not alleviate the problem. As such, researchers in psychology are encouraged to dig deep, to tap into the wealth of knowledge available in psychology to understand terrorist related phenomenon as embedded within normal psychological processes, albeit manifesting in what can be considered exceptional situations and circumstances. Applying Psychology: The Case of Terrorism and Political Violence will appeal to academics, students, and professionals interested in applied psychology, terrorism studies, sociology, international security, and international relations.

Terrorism Versus Democracy

Terrorism Versus Democracy
Author: Paul Wilkinson
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 255
Release: 2011-02
Genre: History
ISBN: 1136835466

Examines global terrorist networks and discusses the long-term future of terrorism.

The Psychology of Terrorism

The Psychology of Terrorism
Author: John G. Horgan
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 223
Release: 2014-06-16
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 113470156X

This new edition of John Horgan's critically acclaimed book is fully revised and expanded. The book presents a critical analysis of our existing knowledge and understanding of terrorist psychology. Despite the on-going search for a terrorist pathology, the most insightful and evidence-based research to date not only illustrates the lack of any identifiable psychopathology in terrorists, but demonstrates how frighteningly 'normal' and unremarkable in psychological terms are those who engage in terrorist activity. By producing a clearer map of the processes that impinge upon the individual terrorist, a different type of terrorist psychology emerges, one which has clearer implications for efforts at countering and disrupting violent extremism in today's world. In this 2nd edition, Horgan further develops his approach to the arc of terrorism by delving deeper into his IED model of Involvement, Engagement and Disengagement – the three phases of terrorism experienced by every single terrorist. Drawing on new and exciting research from the past decade, with new details from interviews with terrorists ranging from al-Qaeda to left-wing revolutionaries, biographies and autobiographies of former terrorists, and insights from historic and contemporary terrorist attacks since 2005, Horgan presents a fully revised and expanded edition of his signature text. This new edition of The Psychology of Terrorism will be essential reading for students of terrorism and political violence, and counterterrorism studies, and recommended for forensic psychology, criminology, international security and IR in general.

Terrorism, Identity and Legitimacy

Terrorism, Identity and Legitimacy
Author: Jean E. Rosenfeld
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 375
Release: 2010-12-13
Genre: History
ISBN: 1136848665

This book argues that terrorism in the modern world has occurred in four "waves" of forty years each. It offers evidence-based explanations of terrorism, national identity, and political legitimacy by leading scholars from various disciplines with contrasting perspectives on political violence. Whether violence is local or global, it tends to be both patterned and innovative. It elicits chaos, but can be understood by the application of new models or theories, depending upon the methods and data experts employ. The contributors in this volume apply their experiences and studies of terrorists, mob violence, fashions in international and political violence, religion’s role in terrorism and violence, the relationship between technology and terror, a recurring paradigm of terrorist waves, nation-states struggling to establish democratic/elective governments, and factions competing for control within states - in order to make sense of both national and international acts of political violence and to ask and answer some of the most disturbing questions these phenomena present. This book will be of much interest to students of terrorism, religion and violence, nationalism, sociology, war and conflict studies and IR in general.