Books
Understanding
Terrorism
Sanyat
Sattar
It is
a disturbing fact that terrorism has became a reality for
every citizen of the world. But why do individuals or groups
resort to terrorism? Here are a few books that may help to
answer this question.
Terrorism:
An Introduction
Jonathan R. White
Wadsworth Publishing; August 2002
Recognised
as the most objective, best-selling text on terrorism this
book strives to discuss the most sophisticated theories by
the best terrorist analysts in the world, while still focusing
on the domestic and international threat of terrorism and
the basic security issues surrounding terrorism today. The
student-oriented writing style is complemented by rich pedagogy,
and there is an adequate amount of research and theoretical
discussion to make this an ideal text for everybody.
Jihad:
The Trail of Political Islam
Gilles Kepel
Belknap Press; April 2002
Gilles
Kepel's Jihad is an intense, detailed examination of the militant
version of Islam over the last quarter-century. Kepel divides
his book into two parts--"Expansion" and "Decline"--and
posits that the September 11, 2001, attacks, rather than demonstrating
"strength and irrepressible might," highlighted
the "isolation" and "fragmentation" of
a "faltering" and probably doomed extremist ideology.
Kepel follows the movement from its theoretical underpinnings
in the late 1960s and its rapid expansion into Africa, the
Middle East, the Balkans, and Central, South, and Southeast
Asia, through the Taliban's ascendancy in Afghanistan and
beyond. He explains the attractions of fundamentalism, and
outlines its severe shortcomings. With consummate skill, he
illuminates the bewilderingly intricate effects global events
(oil prices, the fall of Communism) have had on internal politics
of individual countries, and vice versa. Kepel, wisely, refuses
to prognosticate. Instead, his achievement is in providing--for
the determined reader--a deeply authoritative context for
the seemingly inexplicable events of the recent past.
Annual
Editions: Violence and Terrorism
Thomas J. Badey
McGraw-Hill/Dushkin; June 2003
This edition of Annual Editions: Violence and Terrorism provides
convenient, inexpensive access to a wide range of current,
carefully selected articles from some of the most respected
magazines, newspapers, and journals published today. Within
the pages of this volume are interesting, well-illustrated
articles by sociologists, political scientists, researchers,
and writers providing an effective and useful perspective
on today's important topics in the study of violence and terrorism.
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thedailystar.net 2004
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