Anthrax, smallpox, sarin, blister, blood and choking agents - the list of potential weapons of mass destruction is enormous and varied. It was once thought that technological problems would prevent terrorists developing these weapons whilst moral issues would stop them using them. That has now changed. The technical and organizational sophistication of the attacks on 11th September 2001 heralds a new era in the age-old war against terrorism. After these attacks, attention focused on the activities and capacities of Islamic extremist groups, such as Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda organisation, but the reality is that terrorist threats could come from almost any quarter. This revised edition is the comprehensive and sobering account of the possibilities - technological and political.

This revised edition is a comprehensive account of the technological and political possibilities and dangers presented by weapons of mass destruction in the wake of September 11th, 2001. The technical and organizational sophistication of the attacks on September 11th heralds a new era in the age-old war against terrorism. After these attacks, attention became focused on the activities and capacities of Islamic extremist groups, such as Osama bin Laden' s al-Qa' eda organization, but the reality is that terrorist threats could come from almost any quarter.

Terrorism is the most clear and present danger we confront today, yet no phenomenon is more poorly understood by policymakers, the media, and the general public. The Faces of Terrorism is the first serious interdisciplinary examination of terrorism in all its facets. What gives rise to it, who are its proponents and how do they think, and how--and why--does it work? Neil Smelser begins by tackling the fundamental problem of defining what exactly terrorism is. He shows why a precise definition has eluded us until now, and he proposes one that takes into account the full complexities of this unconventional and politically charged brand of violence. He explores the root causes and conditions of terrorism, and examines the ideologies that inspire and fuel it throughout the world. Smelser looks closely at the terrorists themselves--their recruitment, their motivations, the groups they form, their intended audiences, and their uses of the media in pursuing their agendas. He studies the target societies as well, unraveling the complicated social and psychological impacts of having to cope with the ever-present threat of a terrorist strike--and responding when one occurs. He explains what it means to live under constant threat of terrorism, and addresses the thorny domestic and foreign policy challenges this poses. Throughout, Smelser draws from the latest findings in sociology, political science, anthropology, economics, psychology, psychiatry, and history. The Faces of Terrorism provides the breadth of scope necessary to understand--and ultimately eliminate--this most pressing global threat.

This edited volume, re-issued under the Marshall Cavendish Academic imprint, seeks to explore how the phenomenon of terrorism has transformed from the Cold War to the post- Cold War period. The end of the East-West confrontation created the conditions for terrorist and guerrilla groups to operate globally, advancing their aims and objectives. By operating worldwide, they accessed new ideas, resources, and fresh opportunities. In addition to accumulating political influence and economic resources, they acquired specialized and dual technologies, and learned tactics and techniques from both the East and West. During this period, many rag-tag groups evolved into sophisticated groups. Benefiting from the rapidly changing environment, the phenomenon of terrorism transformed regionally and functionally.

The Oklahoma City bombing, intentional crashing of airliners on September 11, 2001, and anthrax attacks in the fall of 2001 have made Americans acutely aware of the impacts of terrorism. These events and continued threats of terrorism have raised questions about the impact on the psychological health of the nation and how well the public health infrastructure is able to meet the psychological needs that will likely result. Preparing for the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism highlights some of the critical issues in responding to the psychological needs that result from terrorism and provides possible options for intervention. The committee offers an example for a public health strategy that may serve as a base from which plans to prevent and respond to the psychological consequences of a variety of terrorism events can be formulated. The report includes recommendations for the training and education of service providers, ensuring appropriate guidelines for the protection of service providers, and developing public health surveillance for preevent, event, and postevent factors related to psychological consequences.

Baudrillard sees the power of the terrorists as lying in the symbolism of slaughter—not merely the reality of death, but in a sacrifice that challenges the whole system. Where previously the old revolutionary sought to conduct a struggle between real forces in the context of ideology and politics, the new terrorist mounts a powerful symbolic challenge which, when combined with high-tech resources, constitutes an unprecedented assault on an over-sophisticated and vulnerable West. This new edition is up-dated with the essays “Hypotheses on Terrorism” and “Violence of the Global.”

Set among the surf and sandhills of the Australian beach – and the tidal changes of three generations of the Lang family – The Bodysurfers is an Australian classic. A short-story collection which has become a bestseller and been adapted for film, television, radio and the theatre, The Bodysurfers on its first publication marked a major change in Australian literature.