1st Edition

The CRC Press Terrorism Reader

By Marie-Helen Maras Copyright 2014
    418 Pages 32 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    The CRC Press Terrorism Reader assembles the insight of an unrivaled pool of author experts to provide the ultimate comprehensive resource on terrorism. With information drawn from premier titles in the CRC Press collection, the book begins by discussing the origins and definitions of terrorism as well as its motivations and psychology. It goes on to explore a range of issues, providing readers with an understanding of what the terrorist threat is, the history behind it, and strategies to detect, mitigate, and prevent attacks.

    Topics include:

    • Terrorist organizations and cells
    • Phases of the terrorist cycle, including target selection, planning and preparation, escape and evasion, and media exploitation
    • Weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN)
    • Methods for deterrence and intelligence-driven counterterrorism
    • The terrorist threat from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia
    • The impact of the Arab Spring
    • Why suicide bombings are the ultimate terrorist tool
    • The crime-terror nexus and terrorist funding
    • Technology in terrorism and counterterrorism

    Providing real-world insight and solutions to terrorist threats and acts at home and abroad, the book goes beyond theory to deliver practitioner knowledge from the field straight into the reader’s hands.

    Terrorism and Terrorism History
    Definitions and Origins of Terrorism
    Motivations of Terrorists and the Psychology of Terrorism
    International and Domestic Terrorism
    Terrorist Tactics, Terrorist Capabilities
    Terrorist Organizations and Cells
    Terrorist Planning, Surveillance, Targeting, and Operations
    WMD and CBRN
    Terrorist Funding
    Terrorism Preparedness, Terrorism Response
    Homeland Security
    Mitigating Terrorism
    Deterring Terrorism
    Intelligence-Driven Counterterrorism
    Regional Focus on Terrorism
    The Terrorist Threat in Latin America
    Terrorism in the European Union: The Case of Germany
    Border Security in the Middle East: The Case of Iran
    Terrorism in Asia: The Case of the Philippines
    Emerging Issues and the Future of Terrorism
    The Arab Spring and Subsequent Effects
    Suicide Bombings: The Ultimate Tool of Terrorism
    The Crime-Terror Nexus
    Critical Infrastructure Protection
    Technology, Terrorism, and Counterterrorism
    Appendix A: Glossary of Global Terrorist Groups
    Appendix B: US/Domestic-Based Terrorist Organizations
    Appendix C: Foreign Terrorist Organizations
    Index

    Biography

    Dr. Marie-Helen Maras is an associate professor at the Department of Security, Fire, and of Emergency Management at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. She has a DPhil in Law and an MPhil in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Oxford. The majority of her research and publications have focused on the legal, economic, social, and political implications of security measures in the United States and the European Union. In addition to her teaching and academic work, her background includes approximately seven years of service in the US Navy with significant experience in security and law enforcement from her posts as a Navy law enforcement specialist and command investigator. While in the Navy, she supervised her personnel in conducting more than 130 counter-surveillance operations throughout Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

    This interesting and comprehensive reader draws on the extensive writings of CRC Press authors to discuss the spectrum of issues involved in terrorism and counter-terrorism studies. The volume is divided into five parts: terrorism and terrorism history, terrorist tactics and terrorist capabilities, countering terrorism, regional focus on terrorism, and emerging issues and the future of terrorism. The appendices include a glossary of international terrorist groups and domestic terrorist groups in the United States. The reader is recommended as a complement to courses in terrorism, counter-terrorism, and homeland security. The author is an associate professor at the Department of Security, Fire, and of Emergency Management at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.
    —Book review by Dr. Joshua Sinai appearing in Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2014