In the world of terrorism, knowledge is a critical asset. Recent studies have revealed that, among international terrorists, there is a global sharing of ideas, tactics, strategies, and lessons learned. Teaching Terror examines this sharing of information in the terrorist world, shaping our understanding of, and response to, the global threat of terrorism. Chapters cover various aspects of individual and organizational learning, some using a general level of analysis and others pr...

Between Grace and Grit is a lyrical memoir of growing up inside the charged crossroads of faith, family, and social change. Through vivid scenes—railroad tracks, farm, Sunday school rooms, campaign trails, family storms—Ray Combs traces the quiet courage of his parents, Bobby Lee and Elsie Combs, whose lives bridged ministries, classrooms, and the long struggle for civil rights in the American South.Told in poetic, immersive prose, this memoir explores resilience, loss, an...

Two leading experts in terrorism provide "smart, granular analysis" of the group's brutally effective strategy, tactics, and ideology ( Washington Post).The Islamic State, known as ISIS, exploded into the public eye in 2014, capturing the imagination of the global jihadist movement and attracting recruits in unprecedented numbers. It also exhibited a level of sadistic violence and destruction that has alienated even the hardcore terrorists of its parent org...

David Kilcullen is one of the world's most influential experts on counterinsurgency and modern warfare, a ground-breaking theorist whose ideas "are revolutionizing military thinking throughout the west" (Washington Post). Indeed, his vision of modern warfare powerfully influenced America's decision to rethink its military strategy in Iraq and implement "the Surge," now recognized as a dramatic success. In The Accidental Guerrilla, Kilcullen provides a remarkably fresh per...

An expert in violent extremism delivers a "serious and provocative . . . odyssey into the hearts and minds of religious terrorists" from Pakistan to Oklahoma ( The New York Times Book Review).A New York Times Notable BookFor four years, Jessica Stern interviewed extremist members of three religions around the world: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Traveling extensively—to refugee camps in Lebanon, to religious schools in Paki...

“This is at the top of my list for best books on terrorism.”–Jessica Stern, author of Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants KillHow can the most powerful country in the world feel so threatened by an enemy infinitely weaker than we are? How can loving parents and otherwise responsible citizens join terrorist movements? How can anyone possibly believe that the cause of Islam can be advanced by murdering passengers on a bus or an airplane? In this important new ...

The Myth of Martyrdom presents a startling look at the deepest, darkest secrets that terrorists pray you'll never know.For decades, experts from the most powerful governments and prestigious universities around the world have told us that suicide bombers are psychologically normal men and women driven by a single-minded purpose: self-sacrifice. As it turns out, this claim originated with the terrorist leaders themselves, who insisted that they would never ...

In this concise and fascinating book, Fawaz A. Gerges argues that Al-Qaeda has degenerated into a fractured, marginal body kept alive largely by the self-serving anti-terrorist bureaucracy it helped to spawn. In The Rise and Fall of Al-Qaeda, Gerges, a public intellectual known widely for his expertise on radical ideologies, including jihadism, argues that the Western powers have become mired in a "terrorism narrative," stemming from the mistaken belief that America is in danger o...

“A landmark study."—Robin Wright, The New YorkerWhy every terrorist movement comes to an end—and how this history can help us combat today's terrorist threatsAmid the fear following 9/11 and more recent terror attacks, it is easy to forget the most important fact about terrorist campaigns: they always come to an end—and often far more quickly than expected. Contrary to what many assume, when it comes to dealing with terrorism it ma...

How do terrorist groups control their members? Do the tools groups use to monitor their operatives and enforce discipline create security vulnerabilities that governments can exploit? The Terrorist's Dilemma is the first book to systematically examine the great variation in how terrorist groups are structured. Employing a broad range of agency theory, historical case studies, and terrorists' own internal documents, Jacob Shapiro provocatively discusses the core managerial challeng...

Terrorism: The Basics is an ideal starting point for anyone interested in one of the most discussed, written about and analysed aspects of modern life. Common misconceptions are dispelled as the authors provide clear and jargon-free answers to the big questions:What does terrorism involve?Who can be classified as a terrorist?What are terrorists trying to achieve?Who are the supporters of terrorism?Can there ever be an end to terror...

Kathleen Barry answers the perennial question: Is war inevitable? with an emphatic "no." She explores soldiers' experiences through a politics of empathy and reveals how men’s lives are made expendable for combat in which they suffer loss of their own souls. She then probes the psychopathy that marks world leaders from George W. Bush to Ariel Sharon to Osama bin Laden to show how war is made from remorseless indifference to human life. Kathleen Barry asks: ‘What would it take to unmake war...