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Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political activism > Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle
In this original and provocative book, Nahed Artoul Zehr explores the theological underpinnings of al-Qaeda and related Islamic movements such as ISIS. She demonstrates how this marginal narrative transformed al-Qaeda from a relatively hierarchical and regional organization to a globalized, decentralized, and diffuse system of networks. She draws connections between religious ideas and strategy in her translation and analysis of leading theoretical and tactical jihad text, The Global Islamic Resistance Call, by Mustafa abu Mus' ab al-Suri. Just as importantly, she questions al-Qaeda's understanding of the Islamic tradition on the use of force, arguing that it reflects a weak understanding of this tradition. More specifically, it is al-Qaeda's (and related groups') break with this tradition that is key to an al-Qaeda defeat. Simultaneously, Zehr critiques the US military and policy establishment as it attempts to offer counter-narratives to the al-Qaeda phenomenon that emphasizes "good Muslims" versus "bad Muslims" in order to embrace a "moderate" form of Islam. According to Zehr, this approach is misguided: it is beyond the US government's purview and expertise to make such theological claims about Islam. Better, she argues, to note the counter-narratives that are coming from within the Muslim community and other nongovernment institutions interested in moving this work forward. By refocusing our attention on al-Qaeda's narrative and the various ways thatit is being contested, the book provides an alternate lens from which to viewal-Qaeda and the al-Qaeda phenomenon for Islamic and US foreign policy scholars and students.
Experts agree that the next terrorist attack on our soil will not come in the same form as September 11. The possibility of nuclear, chemical or biological attack is increasingly likely. "The U.S. Armed Forces Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Counter-Terrorism Handbook" will enable its readers to survive such an attack. It contains the best practices of the United States' military, completely edited and adapted for civilian use. For example, readers will learn how to: Gain knowledge of an impending chemical attack using a simple warning system; Protect against biological threats such as anthrax with a series of inoculations; Guard against fallout from a terrorist nuke; Achieve basic protection during chemical or biological attacks with a simple mask; and Administer first aid after nuclear, chemical or biological attacks with a simple first aid kit.It's all here. This handbook is the single most effective tool for civilians to protect themselves and their loved ones against the threat looming over our homeland.
As in the study of any social problem, to understand terrorism we must understand how certain interest groups and bureaucratic agencies present their particular views of terrorist phenomena, and how they strive and try to establish these as the ones that come to be accepted as obviously correct. We also need to consider their audiences. Why do the media accept or reject certain views of terrorism? Why does the public accept one kind of rhetorical presentation rather than another? How aYe popular attitudes shaped and reshaped by the images and stereotypes offered in the mass media, and in popular culture? When we appreciate the processes involved in making news about terrorism, we are better able to sift critically the claims that are made, and to evaluate policies. "Images of Terror "provides a critical guide to the images of terrorism that we see daily in the mass media. All too often, scholars and journalists accept uncritically the interpretations of terrorism they receive from governments and official agencies. Our perceptions of terrorism are formed by the interaction of bureaucratic agencies, academics and private experts, and the mass media. Yet the images and stereotypes offered do not necessarily reflect objective reality. Jenkins argues that terrorism, like most other problems, is socially constructed. He does not suggest that terrorism is not a real problem, an authentic menace, or that society should not respond promptly and effectively to terrorist threats. But rather than being something understood in the same way by people in different societies and different eras, the concept of terrorism is shaped by social and political processes, by bureaucratic needs and media structures. This process of construction applies both to the overall concept, and to specific movements, to groups and their actions. For the foreseeable future, terrorism is likely to remain a dominant issue in the political life of the United States, and indeed of much of the world. This book raises important questions about how we form our notions of the enemy to be confronted, and how, when we make statements about terrorism, we know what we think we know.
Offers new insights into the history of right-wing extremism and violence in Europe, East and West, from 1900 until the present day. Examines various forms of organizational and ideological interconnectedness and what inspires right-wing terrorism. In addition to several empirical chapters on prewar extreme-right political violence, the book features extensive coverage of postwar right-wing terrorism including the recent resurgence in attacks.
Uses the tools of critical thinking, historical research, and philosophical inquiry to debunk the many myths and conspiracy theories surrounding JFK's shocking and untimely death. Serves as a comprehensive case study of paranoid reasoning and modern mythmaking. Discusses the causes and consequences of paranoid thinking in contemporary public discourse.
The Internet can be a bewildering maze of information, often from
questionable sources. This book points the way to reliable
information on bioterror
This volume encompasses an array of material exploring the millennium phenomenon and the violent excitement it provokes. Consisting of three core parts, the book combines pertinent documents with insightful commentary and discussion.
From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Nazi Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy comes a true, little-known story about the first assassination attempt on John F. Kennedy, right before his inauguration. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth president of the United States, is often ranked among Americans’ most well-liked presidents. Yet what most Americans don’t know is that JFK’s historic presidency almost ended before it began―at the hands of a disgruntled sociopathic loner armed with dynamite. On December 11, 1960, shortly after Kennedy’s election and before his inauguration, a retired postal worker named Richard Pavlick waited in his car―a parked Buick―on a quiet street in Palm Beach, Florida. Pavlick knew the president-elect’s schedule. He knew when Kennedy would leave his house. He knew where Kennedy was going. From there, Pavlick had a simple plan―one that could’ve changed the course of history. Written in the gripping, page-turning style that is the hallmark of Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch’s bestselling series, this is a slice of history vividly brought to life. Meltzer and Mensch are at the top of their game with this brilliant exploration of what could’ve been for one of the most compelling leaders of the 20th century.
In 1916 a group of German saboteurs blew up Black Tom Island, a spit of land in New York Harbour. The brazen attack destroyed the harbour and the ammunition housed there - and the subsequent hail of missiles and gunpowder devastated much of lower Manhattan. The attack - so massive that as far away as Maryland people could feel the ground shake - had been shockingly easy. America was littered with networks of German agents plotting further, more deadly, attacks. Twenty years later the German government had still managed to evade responsibility for the crime - and probably would have continued to, were it not for the determination of three lawyers named McCloy, Peaslee, and Martin. These men made it their mission to solve a mystery that began during the first World War and barely ended before the second. They were litigators, spies, historians and, ultimately, defenders of the truth. THE DETONATORS is a fascinating portrait of these men and their time; the dramatic love story of John and Ellen McCloy; and the first full accounting of a crime and a cover-up that resonates strongly in a post-9/11 America.
The pioneering essays in this volume explore national security challenges posed by new technologies and examine some ongoing efforts to understand and mitigate their potential negative effects. The authors, drawn from among a roster of international scholars, approach these issues from different yet ultimately complementary angles. Turkish scholar Emin Daskin chronicles the efforts of the Turkish government to develop and implement a Cyber Security Strategy aimed at protecting the country from attacks by both governmental and non-governmental cyber actors. French researcher Christine Dugoin-Clement has studied what she views as a successful case of cyberwarfare, in which Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the eastern separatist region of Donbass have been targeted by cyber attackers attempting to deteriorate their cognition, rendering them less effective in the field. Another French author and military academy instructor, Thomas Flichy de La Neuville, provides a counterpoint study of militarized motorbike attacks in the Sahel, demonstrating that cyberspace is not the only technological sphere in which innovation increasingly threatens security. Finally, American academic Christopher Whyte offers a trenchant critique of current academic studies of cyberterrorism, noting that while "cyberterrorism" appears frequently as a subject of research, the actual work being carried out in this critical area lacks thematic nuance and is only tenuously linked to related major thematic topic areas. The collection highlights the unique challenges faced by countries as they attempt to deal with previously unknown adversaries, as both the nature of the enemy and the field of operations continues to shift with unprecedented speed. It will undoubtedly be of interest to anyone concerned with international relations, cybersecurity, cyberterrorism, and national security in the twenty-first century.
In the context of the 'global war on terror, ' the issue of security has come to affect more and more intimate elements of people's everyday lives. This is the starting point of this interdisciplinary collection, which focuses on how the line between security and insecurity is negotiated through changing concepts of 'community' and 'citizenship.'
The role of technology is crucial to any adequate assessment of the terrorist threat and the measures needed to combat it effectively. Technology and Terrorism fills a huge gap in the literature and reflects the latest thinking of scientists, technologists and analysts of terrorism. Among the key questions they address are: What part has technology played in the causation of terrorism? Have terrorists been primarily innovative or conservative in their use of technologies? 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? There have been significant advances in the aviation security policies of Britain, America, Canada, Australia and several other countries. But what are the problems involved in strengthening many weak links in the international aviation security system?
As the U.S. government continues the battle against terrorism, Congress-representatives of the people-must develop long-term policies that provide for national security and protect the civil liberties of the American people. Much of the conversation surrounding the War on Terror focuses on presidential power and responses to the president's exercising that power. Often overlooked or downplayed is the role of Congress in directing the outcome of the war. This book illustrates how Congress-in conjunction with the president and the judiciary-has played a key role in laying the foundation for many post-9/11 policies in areas such as surveillance and detention. Instead of arguing that Congress is incapable of making successful counterterrorism policy, Congress and the War on Terror objectively examines what Congress has done in the past to suggest what action may be needed in the future. Covering controversial topics including torture, interrogation, drones, and military tribunals, it shows that only understanding previous decisions will enable Americans to determine what role Congress should play as the United States fights terror. Chronicles congressional policymaking in the War on Terror, notes its successes and failures, and provides recommendations to improve the congressional role in the US's fight against terror Includes up-to-date examples of post-9/11 issues such as military tribunals and electronic surveillance Focuses on how Congress handles conflict related to the important issue of War on Terror policymaking Explores whether Congress can serve as the voice of the American people in debating the balance between national security and civil liberties
This book provides a detailed examination of the threats and dangers facing the West at the far end of the cybersecurity spectrum. It concentrates on threats to critical infrastructure which includes major public utilities. It focusses on the threats posed by the two most potent adversaries/competitors to the West, Russia and China, whilst considering threats posed by Iran and North Korea. The arguments and themes are empirically driven but are also driven by the need to evolve the nascent debate on cyberwarfare and conceptions of 'cyberwar'. This book seeks to progress both conceptions and define them more tightly. This accessibly written book speaks to those interested in cybersecurity, international relations and international security, law, criminology, psychology as well as to the technical cybersecurity community, those in industry, governments, policing, law making and law enforcement, and in militaries (particularly NATO members).
In this collection, senior experts explore all aspects of extreme right wing political violence, from the nature of the threat, processes of engagement, and ideology to the lessons that can be drawn from exiting such engagement. Further, right wing activism and political violence are compared with Jihadi violence and engagement. Also, the European experience is placed within a greater framework, including that of the United States and the Arab Spring. The book opens with an essay on U.S. far right groups, investigating their origins and processes of recruitment. It then delves into violence against UK Mosques and Islamic centers, the relationship between Ulster loyalism and far right extremism, the Dutch extremist landscape, and the July 2011 Norway attacks. Also discussed are how narratives of violence are built and justified, at what point do individuals join into violence, and how differently states respond to left-wing vs. right-wing extremism. This comparative work offers a unique look into the very nature of right wing extremism and will be a must-read for anyone studying political violence and terrorism
"Holy War: The Blood of Abraham" is a book about the origins of Islamic terrorism. It addresses two of the most important questions facing the world today: What is the role of the religions of Abraham in present world
conflict? It exposes the underlying flaws that are built into each of these three religious belief systems and, although it leaves it to the reader to decide, argues that culpability for Islamic terrorism lies not only with the failures of Islam, but also with the failures of Judaism and Christianity. It is a book that calls on its readers; Christians, Jews and Muslims, and all others, to look within themselves in search for answers to the most important questions facing our world today.
Today, there is an urgent need to develop an understanding for the systems behaviors and vulnerabilities of interacting infrastructure networks in order to protect that infrastructure from naturally occurring hazards and man-made acts of terrorism. Infrastructure is the underlying foundation or basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions. The NATO-Russia Workshop focuses on the creation of a risk-informed analysis capability for modeling and predicting the behavior of complex infrastructure networks; applying emerging technology to the problems of designing, constructing, monitoring, and operating critical infrastructure systems; and building an understanding of the social, economic, and environmental factors that affect, and are affected by, critical infrastructure. The problem posed by modern, complex infrastructure is that society has become completely dependent on the reliable functioning of these systems, yet, we do not fully understand their systems behavior, which is subject to perturbations by natural hazards and malicious threats. Further, the characteristics of these hazards and threats are changing, driven both by global change and land use, and by changing political conditions. The disruption of the smooth functioning of civil infrastructure has important engineering and public policy implications, as well as social and environmental impacts.
In a tour de force of investigative journalism, White Terror tells for the first time the story of the National Socialist Underground in Germany – in an engrossing global story that examines violence, modern racism and national trauma. Not long after the Berlin Wall fell, three teenagers became friends in the East German town of Jena. It was a time of excitement, but also of deep uncertainty: some four million East Germans found themselves out of a job. At first the three friends spent their nights wandering the streets, smoking, drinking, looking for trouble. Then they began attending far-right rallies with people who called themselves National Socialists: Nazis. Like the Hitler-led Nazis before them, they blamed minorities for their ills. Believing foreigners were a threat to their homeland, the three friends embarked on the most horrific string of white nationalist killings since the Holocaust. Their target: immigrants. In a tour de force of investigative journalism and novelistic storytelling, White Terror follows the National Socialist Underground, or NSU, from their radicalisation as young skinheads through their transformation into fully fledged terrorists carrying out bombings and assassinations while living on the run. But it’s also about something almost as terrifying: the German police and intelligence services that missed clues, mishandled far-right informants and repeatedly tried to paint the immigrant victims as mafiosos. Once the terror plot was revealed, the authorities shredded documents to cover up their mistakes and refused to acknowledge that their racism had led them astray. A masterwork of reporting, White Terror reveals how a group of young Germans carried out a shocking spree of white supremacist violence, and how a nation and its government ignored them until it was too late.
Exploring everything from contemporary challenges to ocean security this book offers detailed insights into the increasing activities of state and non-state actors at sea. Chapters revisit the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC), highlighting how not all maritime security threats can be addressed by this, and further looking at the ways in which the LOSC may even hinder maritime security. Featuring contributions from both expert academics and practitioners in the field, the book explores new maritime security threats posed by non-state actors, such as piracy and illegal fishing. It analyses how states have had to reconsider their understanding of maritime security and rethink the use and protection of their maritime domain in the face of modern challenges, including the robotics revolution, the rise of unmanned systems and the blue economy agenda. Providing a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between LOSC and maritime security, this is key reading for scholars of maritime law, international relations and security studies. Practitioners working in the shipping industry or fishing sector, as well as maritime law enforcement officials will benefit from the practical advice offered. 'There is increasing agreement maritime security is important, but there is still disagreement about what that implies or even what the term means. This book is a timely intervention in the debate by leading thinkers in the field. Maritime security scholars and practitioners will find it an indispensable reference.' - Douglas Guilfoyle, University of New South Wales Canberra, Australia Contributors include: R. Barnes, C. Bueger, K. Chadwick, T. Edmunds, S. Kopela, A. Murdoch, A. Petrig, V. Roeben, M. Rosello, K. Zou
Terrorism in East and West Africa provides a highly interpretative analysis of under-focusing in intelligence assessment. Essential reading for students of terrorism and anti-terrorist practitioners.' - Barry Rider, Jesus College, University of Cambridge, UK'This is an interesting and challenging book that will be of interest to those who know nothing of terrorism in Africa but also to those who are familiar with the patterns of conflict in that continent. A former practitioner, the author brings practical analysis to a range of terrorist groups on the continent that range over significant areas of East, West and Central Africa, producing a book that is of considerable value and that fills a clear gap in current analysis.' - Paul Jackson, University of Birmingham, UK 'In Dr Ridley's latest volume Terrorism in East and West Africa, practitioner knowledge and academic scholarship have combined to produce a highly effective - and readable - work.' - Euan Grant, International Financial,Tax and Border Control Consultant Since 9/11, despite extensive international efforts against global terrorism, there has been a worrying lack of focus on terrorist activity in Africa. Terrorism in East and West Africa: The Under-focused Dimension addresses this strategic deficit by drawing together and analyzing the various domestic and international counter-terrorist measures that have been carried out in East-West Africa since this infamous attack. In his analysis Dr Ridley emphasizes the need to avoid apportioning blame, preferring instead to conduct a thorough examination of counter-terrorist financing measures in certain African countries, as well as looking at the problems associated with their implementation. In this context, the author explains how Western impositions, guidance, and assistance have compounded the ineffectiveness of such measures. This timely book draws upon the author's experience as a former intelligence analyst, to give an account of terrorism in East and West Africa in the first two decades after the 9/11 attacks. Throughout the book there is a questioning of why there has been, and continues to be, an incorrect strategic approach to this threat. This book explores counter-terrorism measures in East and West Africa from an original perspective and delivers an important resource for scholars of terrorism laws, strategies, and politics.
A comprehensive analysis of the rise of Boko Haram from a small religious cult to a major terrorist group, placing them within the context of Nigerian politics and the international War on Terror. In 2009, Nigerian security forces stormed a religious cult by the name of Boko Haram, killing its leader and thousands of followers. Six years later, Boko Haram is an enemy to reckon with, boasting 15,000 members and taking credit for 20,000 deaths. This book looks at the successful rise of this terrorist group, probing the religious and political environment that enabled a relatively small cult to threaten a nation. The study draws on the author's fieldwork in Nigeria, where she had access to officials, activists, psychologists, and military personnel. Written in a clear and accessible manner, it offers a micro-to-macro investigation of the Boko Haram as a phenomenon. It also provides readers with an understanding of the regional dynamics that obstructed political and military cooperation among neighboring countries, enabling Boko Haram's success. This book traces the group's religious origins in the early 2000s and documents its violent political claims in Nigeria and across the border in Northern Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. Finally, it examines the impact of the international War on Terror and presents a comparative study of other contemporary terrorism movements and their networks. Takes a comprehensive approach to the political, historical, social, economic, and international dynamics that enabled the rise and transformation of Boko Haram Draws on field work in Nigeria, including interviews with military representatives, politicians, activists, psychologists, security operatives, and victims of the Boko Haram war Offers a comprehensive analysis of contemporary Nigeria at a crucial point in its history Makes an original contribution to the study of violent non-state actors by examining similarities and differences between Boko Haram and other like-minded terrorist movements
Relating to both the practice of teaching media studies and also to theoretical questions within media and cultural studies, this study examines pop music, media studies and the micro-cultural politics of adolescence. It argues that media education has neglected pop music, and that, as something of enormous significance in the lives of young people, it merits a serious place in the field.; The author provides accounts of media studies in action, including detailed accounts of classroom discussions, interviews with students and teachers, examples of students' work and their biographical reflections. He links this to broader debates both within cultural studies and around the place of pop music in young people's lives.; Teen Spirits should be of interest to students of media and cultural studies, as well as to practicing teachers, and readers with an interest in questions of youth and identity.
With large questions of right and wrong, there is a division of labour. So, with the attack on three subway trains and a bus in London on July 7, 2005. Of what moral relevance, if any, was the fact that the British army had been engaged in the killing of greatly more of a people with whom the terrorists identified? Of what relevance, as a newspaper article asked a week later, was the fact that the British prime minister put his own people at risk in the service of a foreign power? So begins Ted Honderich's intelligent and thoughtful analysis in "Terrorism and Humanity". What Honderich says will doubtless cause a great deal of controversy too (his last book on this subject was initially banned in Germany on the grounds it was anti-Semitic, only to be re-published by a Jewish press). However, his views will also be acceptable to a great many Jews (he puts forward arguments to justify the founding of Israel and its secure perpetual existence). Looking in detail at the situation in Palestine, 9/11, the war in Iraq and the events of 7/7, Ted Honderich offers neither a sensationalist rant nor an academic treatise. Instead "Terrorism and Humanity" provides a thoughtful and perceptive exploration of the "biggest" issue facing the western world today. |
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