The No-Nonsense Guide to Terrorism

Abstract

Since the events of September 11 2001, the uses of the word terrorism seem to have multiplied, and it has never been clearer that one person's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. This No-Nonsense Guide to Terrorism looks at debates about September 11 and the responses to it, but also analyses the causes and contexts of terrorism the world over. Jonathan Barker provides a highly accessible historical sketch of terrorism, looking at core examples from the Middle East, instances of state terrorism, and the existence of a terrorist fringe to political movements such as anti-apartheid. He guides readers through the moral and political theories justifying and guiding terrorist acts and draws attention to the battle of images and ideas that accompanies them. The book moves away from moral judgements, demonstrating how social analysts and psychologists view the dynamics of terrorism. Furthermore it examines the consequences of terrorist acts for popular politics.