ABSTRACT

This new Handbook provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art overview of current knowledge and debates on terrorism and counterterrorism, as well as providing a benchmark for future research.

The attacks of 9/11 and the ‘global war on terror’ and its various legacies have dominated international politics in the opening decades of the 21st century. In response to the dramatic rise of terrorism, within the public eye and the academic world, the need for an accessible and comprehensive overview of these controversial issues remains profound. The Routledge Handbook of Terrorism and Counterterrorism seeks to fulfil this need. The volume is divided into two key parts:

  • Part I: Terrorism: This section provides an overview of terrorism, covering the history of terrorism, its causes and characteristics, major tactics and strategies, major trends and critical contemporary issues such as radicalisation and cyber-terrorism. It concludes with a series of detailed case studies, including the IRA, Hamas and Islamic State.
  • Part II: Counterterrorism: This part draws on the main themes and critical issues surrounding counterterrorism. It covers the major strategies and policies, key events and trends and the impact and effectiveness of different approaches. This section also concludes with a series of case studies focused on major counterterrorism campaigns.

This book will be of great interest to all students of terrorism and counterterrorism, political violence, counter-insurgency, criminology, war and conflict studies, security studies and IR more generally.

chapter Chapter 1|10 pages

The study of terrorism and counterterrorism

part 1|1 pages

Terrorism

chapter Chapter 2|9 pages

Defining terrorism

chapter Chapter 3|12 pages

Conceptualizing and measuring terrorism

chapter Chapter 4|23 pages

A history of terrorism

chapter Chapter 5|9 pages

Root causes of terrorism

chapter Chapter 6|8 pages

State terrorism

chapter Chapter 7|13 pages

Nationalist and separatist terrorism

chapter Chapter 8|11 pages

Left-wing terrorism

chapter Chapter 9|11 pages

Right-wing terrorism

The strategic dimensions

chapter Chapter 10|13 pages

Lone-actor terrorism

Radicalisation, attack planning and execution

chapter Chapter 11|10 pages

Terrorist psychology and radicalisation

chapter Chapter 14|9 pages

Terrorist group structures

Balancing security and efficiency

chapter Chapter 15|11 pages

The effectiveness of terrorism

chapter Chapter 16|10 pages

The economic impact of terrorism

chapter Chapter 18|9 pages

Foreign fighters and terrorism

chapter Chapter 19|9 pages

Suicide terrorism

chapter Chapter 20|14 pages

Terrorist hostage-taking

chapter Chapter 22|11 pages

Cyber terrorism

part 1|1 pages

case studies

chapter Chapter 23|11 pages

Al-Qaeda

Formation and evolution

chapter Chapter 24|14 pages

Boko Haram

chapter Chapter 25|10 pages

Hamas

chapter Chapter 26|13 pages

Hizbullah

chapter Chapter 27|10 pages

Islamic State

chapter Chapter 28|11 pages

The Provisional IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY

chapter Chapter 29|14 pages

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

chapter Chapter 30|11 pages

Red Army Faction

part 2|1 pages

Counterterrorism

chapter Chapter 31|12 pages

Conceptualising counterterrorism

chapter Chapter 32|9 pages

Policing in counterterrorism

chapter Chapter 33|11 pages

The military approach to counterterrorism

chapter Chapter 34|11 pages

Intelligence and counterterrorism

chapter Chapter 35|10 pages

Anti-terrorism laws

The United Kingdom’s unfinished history

chapter Chapter 37|9 pages

Tackling terrorist fundraising and finances

chapter Chapter 39|14 pages

Prisons and detention

Reflections on the Northern Ireland experience

chapter Chapter 40|13 pages

Terrorist disengagement and de-radicalization

chapter Chapter 41|12 pages

Targeted killings

Perpetual war for perpetual peace?

part 2|1 pages

case studies

chapter Chapter 43|9 pages

Argentina

A case study in Dirty War

chapter Chapter 44|13 pages

Canada

chapter Chapter 45|11 pages

China

People’s war on terror

chapter Chapter 46|12 pages

France

chapter Chapter 47|12 pages

Great Britain

Terrorism and counter-terrorism since 1968

chapter Chapter 48|11 pages

India

chapter Chapter 49|11 pages

Iraq

Terrorism and counter-terrorism in Iraq, 2003–2011

chapter Chapter 50|11 pages

Israel

Can terrorism be curbed?

chapter Chapter 51|8 pages

Italy

The process of disengaging the Italian left-wing armed groups from political violence

chapter Chapter 52|11 pages

Spain

chapter Chapter 53|12 pages

Russia

chapter Chapter 54|20 pages

The United States of America

Counter-terrorism pre-9/11

chapter Chapter 55|13 pages

The United States of America

Domestic counterterrorism since 9/11