Terrorism is one of the forces defining our age, but it has also been around since some of the earliest civilizations. This one-of-a-kind study of the history of terrorism — from ancient Assyria to the post-9/11 War on Terror — puts terrorism into broad historical, political, religious and social context. The book leads the reader through the shifting understandings and definitions of terrorism through the ages, and its continuous development of themes allows for a fuller understanding of the uses of and responses to terrorism. The study of terrorism is constantly growing and ever changing. In Terrorism: A History, Randall Law gives students and general readers access to this rich field through the most up-to-date research combined with a much-needed long-range historical perspective. He extensively covers jihadism, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Northern Ireland and the Ku Klux Klan plus lesser known movements in Uruguay, Algeria and even the pre-modern uses of terror in ancient Rome, medieval Europe and the French Revolution, among other topics.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Jews from Central and Eastern Europe arrived in New York City, where they did not only find a new home, but far away from their shtetl origin, the new members of the American society also began to politically radicalize. There has been a discussion in the literature related to the field, where, how, and why the Jewish population radicalized. This study analyses two waves of radicalization: one related to the American environment that is responsible for the described process at the end of the 19th century; one, related to the developments in Eastern Europe during the early decades of the 20th century. For both radicalization processes this book compares the reasons, elements, and aims of those who join radical movements to show that there is a transatlantic perspective that links both processes to each other.

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon but has been present for over two thousand years. It has been used to advance ethnic, religious, and ideological goals; it has been used by dissidents and states to maintain control; it has been used at times as a means for attaining or maintaining power for its own sake. Terrorism has often appeared as a response to the intrusion of outside groups in established societies. This book places terrorism in a historical and analytical context. It is a comparison of terrorist groups over time, noting both similarities and differences. It will also contribute to discussions of the underlying causes of terrorism by providing a broader context than is usually attempted. It is important to put recent terrorist events in an appropriate context and to learn what history has to offer for dealing with this type of political violence.

This comprehensive reader seeks to equip the aspiring student, based anywhere in the world, with a comprehensive introduction to the study of terrorism.

Global Terrorism 3rd edition continues to provide students with the most comprehensive introduction to terrorism as a global phenomenon. It introduces students to history, politics, ideologies and strategies of both contemporary and older terrorist groups. Written in a clear and accessible style, each chapter explains a different aspect of terrorism and illustrates this with a wide variety of detailed case studies from across the world. Although the focus is on the contemporary, the book also includes discussion of older terrorist groups. Building on the strengths of the previous editions, this edition has been revised and upadted throughout and includes new material on: Strategies of terrorism The future of Al-Qaeda after the death of Bin Laden Changes in the Middle East New case studies on Hizbollah, Afghanistan/Pakistan, Aum Shinrikyo (Japan), Militia movement in the US The unique combination of a genuinely historical focus and truly global coverage makes this an ideal introductory textbook for anyone studying terrorism.