08 July 2008

Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: Ethics and Liberal Democracy

by Seumas Miller

From the publisher:
No one denies the impact of terrorism in the contemporary world, but when it comes to understanding the nature of terrorism and its ethical implications there is little agreement. Terrorism and our responses to it give rise to the profound moral issues addressed in this book, including the moral permissibility/impermissibility of terrorists using lethal force against non-combatants in the service of political goals, the practices of assassinating and torturing terrorists, and the infringement of civil liberties by security agencies for the purpose of protecting the lives of citizens against terrorist attacks.

By placing terrorism within the broader framework of contemporary liberal democracies, the author provides a strong basis with which to understand the effects of terrorism and the counter-measures used to combat it. This book is an important read for anyone interested in the ethics of terrorism in the modern world.