The Cult of Osama: Psychoanalyzing Bin Laden and His Magnetism for Muslim Youths

by Peter Alan Olsson

From the publisher:
In The Cult of Osama, Psychiatrist Peter Olsson examines Osama bin Laden's early life experiences and explains, from a psychoanalytical perspective, how those created a mind filled with perverse rage at America, as well as why his way of thinking makes him in many cases a hero to Arab and Muslim youths.

"Many other writings totally demonize bin Laden, and therein strangely play into putting this troubled man onto a pedestal," says Olsson, who spent 25 years on a social psychological and psychoanalytical study of destructive cults and cult leaders.

There are many journalistic, political, military, and intelligence books about bin Laden and his terror cult group. But this one offers a purely psychological and psychobiographical perspective on bin Laden and his mushrooming influence. Bin Laden's destructive "Pied Piper" appeal, leading youths to murder others and even themselves in suicide missions, stems from the peculiar and profoundly important synchrony of shared trauma and pain between bin Laden and Arab/Muslim youth, says Olsson. "And we in the West neglect this topic, at our own peril." Among the insights Olsson provides as he traces the psychological threads of narcissistic wounds and unresolved grief from Osama's childhood are the death of his father when Osama was 10, separation from his mother even earlier, the humiliation of Osama as the "son of a slave" in his father's household, and his lifelong search for a surrogate older brother and father figures among radical Islamist teachers and mentors.

Olsson also spotlights the idea that Osama experienced "dark epiphanies" as a young adult which further magnified and focused his unresolved disappointments and narcissistic rage. This psychobiography of one of the world's most notorious terrorists, written by an Assistant Professor at Dartmouth Medical School, shows how understanding the psychohistory and mindset of bin Laden could help prevent the development and actions of home-grown American and Western terrorists and their cells.

The Terrorism Ahead: Confronting Transnational Violence in the Twenty-first Century

by Paul J. Smith

From the publisher:
Written for students and general readers, this accessible book examines the evolving threat of terrorism and draws on the latest research to assess future trends. The author assumes that terrorism will remain a potent threat to the international system throughout the twenty-first century, primarily because of the convergence of two negative trends: the availability of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Weapons (CBRN)--also known as Weapons of Mass Destruction--and the proliferation of terrorist organizations seeking to achieve mass casualties.

The book surveys specific aspects of contemporary terrorism, including political, social, economic, religious, and ideological factors, globalization as a stimulant to contemporary terrorism, the role of organized crime in terrorist movements, and more. Written with students in college and professional programs in mind, the book includes case studies interspersed throughout the chapters that provide clarifying examples.

Female Terrorism and Militancy: Agency, Utility, and Organization

by Cindy D. Ness

From the publisher:
This edited volume provides a window on the many forces that structure and shape why women and girls participate in terrorism and militancy, as well as on how states have come to view, treat, and strategize against them.

Females who carry out terrorist acts have historically been seen as mounting a challenge to the social order by violating conventional notions of gender and power, and their participation in such acts has tended to be viewed as being either as a passive victim or a feminist warrior. This volume seeks to move beyond these portrayals, to examine some of the structuring conditions that play a part in a girl or woman’s decision to commit violence. Amidst the contextual factors informing her involvement, the volume seeks also to explore the political agency of the female terrorist or militant. Several of the articles are based on research where authors had direct contact with female terrorists or militants who committed acts of political violence, or with witnesses to such acts.

Iran and Its Place among Nations

by Alidad Mafinezam and Aria Mehrabi

From the publisher:
Iran and Its Place among Nations takes a bird's-eye view of where Iran has been in the international community, where it is today, and where it may ideally end up in the future. Is Iran an Eastern country, bound by traditions that hinder economic development? Or does it also have some attributes of Western countries, given its history, geographic location, culture, and politics?

Among the key insights in this book is the observation that Iran is a bridge between East and West. Is Iran a fomenter of Islamic radicalism in the Middle East and beyond, or can it be a promoter of moderation and reform within its own borders and in other Muslim countries? How effectively can the religious and national sources of Iran's identity by reconciled, or must the country choose one over the other and overcome the inherent tensions of this dual identity? This book addresses these and similar questions regarding one of the most important and newsworthy countries in the world.

Combining description and prescription, the authors shed light on the tumultuous history of Iran in the twentieth century and uncover the domestic and foreign factors that have aided and retarded the country's development in modern times. Providing a close look at the backgrounds and identities of key pre- and post-revolutionary leaders in Iran, the authors make insightful recommendations to Iranians and the international community on how to integrate Iran into harmonious and stable relationships that benefit Iranians, the region that surrounds them, and the world. Grounded in solid scholarship yet written accessibly, this is a must-read for all Iran watchers today.

ALIDAD MAFINEZAM is a Toronto-based lecturer and consultant. He has taught at the University of Toronto and the University of Winnipeg and has worked as a consultant to numerous foundations and nonprofit organizations. He is translator and editor of Hope and Challenge: The Iranian President Speaks by Mohammad Khatami (1997). He has also written about Iran for the Middle East Institute at Columbia University.

ARIA MEHRABI earned his Ph.D. in international affairs and economic development at the Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, where he wrote and conducted field research on Iran's information revolution and its transformative effects on politics, religion, and the economy. He has worked as a Middle East risk consultant to the RAND Corporation and lectured on international affairs at Georgetown University. An advocate on the forefront of the global issue of trafficking in women and children, he has funded programs at the Protection Project of Johns Hopkins in connection with the State Department, educating global bureaucrats on the issues of trafficking. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute and serves on the Leadership Council of the New America Foundation.

Battlebabble: The Selling of War in America

by Thomas Lee

From the publisher:
Euphemisms sell war. From Operation Desert Storm to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and throughout the intervening years of deadly sanctions, a dense fog of rhetoric rose to hide the government's imperialistic ambitions and our brutality. Blunt realities of war have been smothered under layers of language. This book will play a role in the evolution of an increased sensitivity towards the deceptive words of war.

Thomas Lee, Ph.D., biologist and pacifist, is also the author of books on the promises and perils of modern genetics, including The Human Genome Project: Cracking the Genetic Code of Life and Conquering Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Latest Breakthroughs and Treatments.

Terror Threat: For Canadian Eyes Only

by Dwight Hamilton and Kostas Rimsa

From the publisher:
The discovery of a suspected homegrown Islamic terrorist cell in our own backyard last year shocked most Canadians. The question arose: Is this country next on Al Qaeda's hit list? But although terrorism in Canada did not begin with Al Qaeda, its fundamental dynamics are as unfamiliar to most of the public as the minutiae of quantum physics.

How could such shocking developments happen in a nation of "peacekeepers" that opposed the American intervention in Iraq? The majority of Canadians have no idea why soldiers are presently sacrificing their lives in Afghanistan. Terror Threat provides an examination of every key facet of current terrorist operations affecting this country -- and it does so in a way that shows how serious the dadnger really is. Who are these people? How do they operate? And why in the world are they trying to kill us?

Dwight Hamilton, a former member of Canadian military intelligence, began writing at the Toronto Sun and Financial Post Magazine. He has been a staff editor at two of Canada's largest professional journals.

Kostas Rimsa served as an officer in Canadian military intelligence and instructed a program on international terrorism at Humber College in Toronto. He worked in a variety of roles in the former Soviet Union and assisted in the formation of Lithuania's new secret service.

Terrorism and International Law 2006

by Centre d'Etude et de Recherche de Droit International et de Relations Internationales de l'Académie Droit International de la Haye/ Centre for Studies and Research in International Law and International Relations of the Hague Academy of International Law

From the publisher:
The Centre for Studies and Research in International Law and International Relations forms part of the Hague Academy of International Law, and operates under the authority of its managing board and within the framework of its teaching. The Centre was established for further in-depth research in the area of international law.
The topic for 2005 was: The Cultural Heritage of Mankind.

From LWBN:
No description of this title was available from the publisher.

Negotiating Hostage Crises with the New Terrorists

by Adam Dolnik and Keith M. Fitzgerald

From the publisher:
This book is about the role of negotiation in resolving terrorist barricade hostage crises. What lessons can be learned from past deadly incidents so that crisis negotiators and decision makers can act with greater effectiveness in the future? What are the lessons the terrorists are learning and how will they affect the dynamics of future incidents? What can we learn about the terrorist threat, and about preventing the escalation of future terrorist hostage-taking situations? While there are many trained crisis negotiators around the world, almost none of them has ever had contact with a terrorist hostage-taking incident. Further, the entire training program of most hostage negotiators focuses on resolving crises that do not take into consideration issues such as ideology, religion, or the differing sets of strategic objectives and mindsets of ideological hostage takers. This is especially true with regard to the terrorists of the "new" breed, who have become less discriminate, more lethal, and more willing to execute hostages and die during the incident. Further, many of the paradigms and presumptions upon which the contemporary practice of crisis negotiation is based do not reflect the reality of the "new terrorists." The main focus of this book is on the detailed reconstruction and analysis of the two most high-profile cases in recent years, the Moscow theater and the Beslan school hostage crises, with a clear purpose of drawing lessons for hostage negotiation strategies in the future. This is an issue of top priority. Terrorist manuals from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq reveal that terrorist organizations are very closely observing and analyzing the lessons learned from these two incidents, suggesting that we are likely to see this type of "new" terrorist hostage taking involving large numbers of suicide fighters and executions of hostages at some point in the future. This raises a wide array of questions about appropriate responses and negotiation strategies. From the first glance, it is clear that we are not prepared.

"This pioneering book provides fascinating case studies that are vital in understanding negotiation strategies in this ever-changing world of terrorism. The authors set the example that one should never assume an end result in hostage negotiations, even with the terrorist extremist. A must read for all hostage negotiators." - Lt. Jack Cambria, Commanding Officer, NYPD Hostage Negotiation Team

"A path breaking contribution to this critical field. The authors' insights and prescriptions--informed by cutting edge negotiation theory and relevant hostage cases--will help save lives in future crises and enhance states' capacity to bring all their resources to the table when dealing with today's terrorists." - LTC Joe Felter, Director of the Center for Combating Terrorism at the US Military Academy (West Point)

Race and Arab Americans Before and After 9/11: From Invisible Citizens to Visible Subjects

by Amaney Jamal (ed.)

From the publisher:
Bringing the rich terrain of Arab American histories to bear on conceptualizations of race in the U.S., this groundbreaking volume fills a critical gap in the field of ethnic studies. Unlike most immigrant communities who either have been consistently marked as "non-white," or have made a transition from "non-white" to "white," Arab Americans historically have been rendered "white" and have increasingly come to be seen as "non-white."

This book highlights emergent discourses on the distinct ways that race matters to the study of Arab American histories and asks essential questions. What is the relationship between U.S. imperialism in Arab homelands and anti-Arab racism in the lives of Arab Americans? What are the relationships between religion, class, gender, and anti-Arab racism? What is the significance of whiteness studies to Arab American studies? Transcending multiculturalist discourses after September 11 that have simply "added on" the category "Arab American" to the landscape of U.S. ethnic and racial studies, this volume locates September 11 as a turning point, rather than a beginning, in the history of Arab American engagements with race, multiculturalism, and Americanization.

Amaney Jamal is assistant professor of politics at Princeton University. She is the author of Barriers to Democracy: The Other Side of Social Capital in Palestine and the Arab World (forthcoming).

Cyber-Security and Threat Politics: US Efforts to Secure the Information Age

by My Dunn Cavelty

From the publisher:
This book explores the political process behind the construction of cyber-threats as one of the quintessential security threats of modern times in the US.

Myriam Dunn Cavelty posits that cyber-threats are definable by their unsubstantiated nature. Despite this, they have been propelled to the forefront of the political agenda. Using an innovative theoretical approach, this book examines how, under what conditions, by whom, for what reasons, and with what impact cyber-threats have been moved on to the political agenda. In particular, it analyses how governments have used threat frames, specific interpretive schemata about what counts as a threat or risk and how to respond to this threat. By approaching this subject from a security studies angle, this book closes a gap between practical and theoretical academic approaches. It also contributes to the more general debate about changing practices of national security and their implications for the international community.

Jihad and American Medicine: Thinking Like a Terrorist to Anticipate Attacks via Our Health System

by Adam Frederic Dorin

From the publisher:
State-of-the-art counter-terrorism techniques, insights into modern medical practice, medical errors, and disaster prevention all intersect in this groundbreaking book by Adam Dorin, M.D., an anesthesiologist and medical director across 15 years.

Dr. Dorin shows us why our healthcare system may be the next Ground Zero for terrorism and how many opportunities there are for terrorists to infiltrate the system. He offers a history of medical and healthcare-related serial killers, showing how they got inside the system to murder relatively easily, takes a detailed look at the profound problems that already exist in counterfeit and tainted medicinal products, and describes biological, chemical, and nuclear terrorism that could be used against our healthcare system.

Most critically, Dr. Dorin presents a detailed blueprint for safeguarding our system and preventing medical terrorism from ever taking place. In tackling largely hidden but potentially deadly issues such as the failures of security at hospitals and surgical centers, Dr. Dorin's unique book offers the first in-depth public expose and loud alert to the risks and gaping weak spots in our healthcare system. Written simply and clearly, this work will interest all readers concerned with terrorism and the ways they might become victim to it. Dr. Dorin's warnings should certainly also interest and inform leaders and employees in the security, law enforcement, and medical fields.

"Dr. Dorin sounds the alarm on two critical and related fronts. First, he details the recognized current safety failings of our medical-care system. Alone worthy of a read. Then, thinking far beyond the box, he presents scenarios by which our dedicated and fanatical Jihadist enemies might exploit those big chinks in that medical-care safety armor. It's thoughtful and thought-provoking. A must read for anyone who is or might ever be a patient. And, that means every American." - Robert Kotler, M.D., FACS Clinical Instructor, University of California, Los Angeles

Double Trouble: Iran and North Korea as Challenges to International Security

by Patrick M. Cronin (ed.)

From the publisher:
North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, while Iran is poised to acquire them in the next decade. How the United States and other nations seek to roll back these burgeoning nuclear powers is among the most urgent issues of the day. At stake is regional security in the Persian Gulf and Northeast Asia, America's standing abroad, and prospects for nuclear nonproliferation.

The contributors to this volume offer complementary international perspectives on the critical security issues that stem from the challenges posed by Iran and North Korea. No other work combines the analysis of the two countries and explores the threat posed by each to regional stability and world order. The book examines how and why attempts to curb the nuclear programs and broader political ambitions of each nation have failed. It also examines how each nation, in its own way, has managed to defy the world's preponderant power, the United States, as well as other major powers and the United Nations. And it offers analysis on where the fractured and oscillating relations with these two nettlesome actors are heading and the long-term implications of their current trajectories for nuclear proliferation, deterrence, alliance management, regional security, and world order.

Expert, balanced analyses--augmented by new chronologies and maps--make the volume an invaluable reference for all those interested in understanding the options available in dealing with Iran and North Korea.

PATRICK CRONIN is Director of Studies at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London and previously directed research at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, United States Institute of Peace, and Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Non-State Actors and Terrorism: Applying the Law of State Responsibility and the Due Diligence Principle

by Robert P. Barnidge, Jr.

From the publisher:
In our post-11 September world, challenges to international peace and security emanate from non-State actors as never before. Under international law States have an obligation to act with due diligence in confronting non-State actors that engage in terrorism.

The author of this book examines the grounds and mechanisms through which a State can bear responsibility for breaching its due diligence obligations in this regard. He explores the question whether a comprehensive definition of terrorism exists and reviews the development of the due diligence principle during the last century. After doing so, the author examines how the due diligence principle operates in the counterterrorism context by analysing international and regional treaties and Security Council Resolutions. Theoretical issues that arise when interpreting the due diligence principle are also studied. The author concludes by critically engaging with the question whether national security should trump human rights in the fight against terrorism.

This book fills a significant gap in the literature. It is principally designed for policy makers, academics, and students of international law.

Robert P. Barnidge, Jr., is presently a Lecturer at the School of Law, University of Reading, United Kingdom.

Nuclear Insecurity: Understanding the Threat from Rogue Nations and Terrorists

by Jack Caravelli

From the publisher:
Nuclear Insecurity is an insider's account of official American efforts to prevent the theft or diversion of nuclear and radiological weapons that could be used by rogue nations or terrorist groups. This perspective draws heavily from the author's work on the White House National Security Council Staff (1996-2000), where he was directly responsible to President Clinton for the development of U.S. nuclear material security policies and, subsequently, at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he directed the department's largest international nuclear security program, focused primarily on Russia. In Caravelli's assessment, despite exceptional bipartisan political support and very high funding levels that have reached over $9 billion, a series of policy mistakes and programmatic bureaucratic missteps have badly compromised the United States government's efforts to protect against the spread of nuclear weapons and materials. The most striking example of the current situation is that the U.S. government, some 12 years after the start of these programs, still has failed to enhance the security of more than 300 metric tons of nuclear materials in Russia alone, enough to make hundreds of nuclear devices. The book concludes with recommendations and policy prescriptions for addressing some of these problems.

JACK CARAVELLI is one of America's leading experts on nonproliferation and nuclear terrorism. He is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the U.K. Defence Academy and Visiting Professor at Cranfield University. He was Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy (2000-2003), and he served on the White House National Security Council (1996-2000), where he was the president's principal advisor for nonproliferation policies and programs involving Russia and the Middle East. He began his governmental career in 1982 at the Central Intelligence Agency. Caravelli is a Chatham House Fellow and member of the advisory board of Oxford University's Pluscarden Program on Intelligence and Terrorism.

Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction: Responding to the Challenge

by Ian Bellany

From CWBN:
There is a widely held belief in the imminent probability of nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons of mass destruction being used by terrorists against civilian targets. This edited volume critically assesses the suggestion that one safeguard against this possibility would be to strengthen existing international prohibitions against state-level acquisition of such weapons.

A glimpse of the possible potential of terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction has been seen through the actions of the Tokyo Aum group, and through the use of chlorine by insurgents in Iraq. However, the extent of the real threat posed is as yet unclear, and safeguarding against it in developing countries will not be easy. This book assembles specialists in each category of WMD in order to examine the potential of expanding the three ‘classical’ arms control treaties in order to combat the threat posed by smaller terrorist groups, and draws conclusions as to the strengths and weaknesses of this suggestion.

Danger Close: Tactical Air Controllers in Afghanistan and Iraq

by Steve Call

From the publisher:
"America had a secret weapon," writes Steve Call of the period immediately following September 11, 2001, as planners contemplated the invasion of Afghanistan. This weapon consisted of small teams of Special Forces operatives trained in close air support (CAS) who, in cooperation with the loose federation of Afghan rebels opposed to the Taliban regime, soon began achieving impressive—and unexpected—military victories over Taliban forces and the al-Qaeda terrorists they had sponsored. The astounding success of CAS tactics coupled with ground operations in Afghanistan soon drew the attention of military decision makers and would eventually factor into the planning for another campaign: Operation Iraqi Freedom.

But who, exactly, are these air power experts and what is the function of the TACPs (Tactical Air Control Parties) in which they operate? Danger Close provides a fascinating look at a dedicated, courageous, innovative, and often misunderstood and misused group of military professionals.

Drawing on the gripping first-hand accounts of their battlefield experiences, Steve Call allows the TACPs to speak for themselves. He accompanies their narratives with informed analysis of the development of CAS strategy, including potentially controversial aspects of the interservice rivalries between the air force and the army which have at times complicated and even obstructed the optimal employment of TACP assets. Danger Close makes clear, however, that the systematic coordination of air power and ground forces played an invaluable supporting role in the initial military victories in both Afghanistan and Iraq. This first-ever examination of the intense, life-and-death world of the close air support specialist will introduce readers to a crucial but little-known aspect of contemporary warfare and add a needed chapter in American military history studies.

Steve Call is an assistant professor at Broome Community College in Binghamton, New York, teaching both American and military history. During his twenty-year career in the air force, Call held many command and staff positions, including liaison officer with the army, Pentagon staff officer, and squadron commander. His Ph.D. in military history is from Ohio State University.

Energy Victory: Winning the War on Terror by Breaking Free of Oil

by Robert Zubrin

From the publisher:
In this compelling argument for a new direction in US energy policy, world-renowned engineer and best-selling author Robert Zubrin lays out a bold plan for breaking the economic stranglehold that the OPEC oil cartel has on our country and the world. Zubrin presents persuasive evidence that our decades-long relationship with OPEC has resulted in the looting of our economy, the corruption of our political system, and now the funding and protection of terrorist regimes and movements that are committed to our destruction. Debunking the false solutions and myths that have deterred us from taking necessary action, Zubrin exposes the fakery that has allowed many politicians--including current US president George W. Bush--to posture that they are acting to resolve this problem while actually doing nothing significant toward that goal.

Zubrin's plan is straightforward and practical. He argues that if Congress passed a law requiring that all new cars sold in the USA be flex-fueled--that is, able to run on any combination of gasoline or alcohol fuels--this one action would destroy the monopoly that the oil cartel has maintained on the globe's transportation fuel supply, opening it up to competition from alcohol fuels produced by farmers worldwide. According to Zubrin's estimates, within three years of enactment, such a regulation would put 50 million cars on the road in the USA capable of running on high-alcohol fuels, and at least an equal number overseas. He further advocates tariff policies favoring alcohol over petroleum imports.

Energy Victory shows how we could be using fuel dollars that are now being sent to countries with ties to terrorism to help farmers here and abroad,boosting our own economy and funding world development. Furthermore, by switching to alcohol fuels, which pollute less than gasoline and are made from plants that draw carbon dioxide from the air, this plan will facilitate the worldwide economic growth required to eliminate global poverty without the fear of greenhouse warming. Energy Victory offers an exciting vision for a dynamic, new energy policy, which will not only go a long way toward safeguarding homeland security in the future but will also provide solutions for global warming and Third World development.

Americans are buying ammunition for their enemies every time they buy gas. Energy security is the way out of this dilemma and Dr. Zubrin has a plan to achieve it. --Clifford D. May, Syndicated Columnist; President, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

Robert Zubrin pulls no punches and moves effortlessly from a fascinating oil-centered take on WW II to making the mathematics of oil alternatives intelligible to lay readers. Oil and hydrogen take huge hits and alcohol fuels win big. Don't miss this one. --James Woolsey, former Director, Central Intelligence Agency

Modern Iran

by Ali Ansari

From the publisher:
Today’s Iran is rarely out of the headlines. Labelled by George W Bush as a part of his ‘axis of evil’ and perceived as a real nuclear threat by some, Iran is increasingly seen as an enemy of the West. And yet for many Iran remains shrouded in mystery and incomprehensible to Western analysis.

Modern Iran offers a comprehensive analysis and explanation of political, social and economic developments in Iran during the 20th century. Since it first published in 2003 Modern Iran has become a staple for students and lecturers wishing to gain a clear understand of the history of this strategically important Middle Eastern Country.

The new edition will bring us up to dateand will include: an analysis of the successes and failures of the Khatami Presidency; an examination of the effect of 9/11; the rise of the Reform Movement and the efforts to promote Islamic Democracy; the resistance to democratisation among the hardline elites.

Iran's Foreign Policy: From Khatami to Ahmadinejad

by Anoush Ehteshami and Mahjoob Zweiri (editors)

From the publisher:
This timely collection of papers by leading academics and prominent government officials sheds new light on the foreign policy of Iran under President Khatami and into the period of President Ahmadinejad. The topics covered include the influence of the Iranian constitution on its foreign policy, Iran's relations with the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Arab world, and Iranian involvement in Iraq.

From LWBN:
The exact day of release for this November title is unknown.

Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies

by Clarence Augustus Martin

Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies is a concise resource for understanding modern terrorism. This briefer version of Martin’s popular text Understanding Terrorism, Second Edition, can be readily used in conjunction with other resources such as Martin’s The New Era of Terrorism collection of readings, or with other supplemental texts or journal articles.

The content of Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies is directed to academic and professional courses of instruction whose subject areas include terrorism, homeland security, international security, criminal justice administration, political conflict, armed conflict, and social movements. It can also be incorporated into academic conferences and professional training seminars covering international and homeland security studies, criminal justice administration, the attributes of terrorism and extremism, conflict resolution, and related subjects of inquiry.

The intended level of instruction is flexible: As a stand-alone text, it is suitable for introductory undergraduate classes. When used in conjunction with other resources, the level of instruction can be adapted to upper-division undergraduate and master’s-level classes. If used in conjunction with professional manuals, Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies is suitable for professional practitioners who require instruction in understanding terrorism.

Gus Martin is the assistant vice president for Faculty affairs in the Division of Academic Affairs at California State University, Dominguez Hills. His research and professional interests are juvenile justice, terrorism and extremism, administration of justice, and fair housing. He has served as a panelist for university and community symposia and interviews on the subjects of administration of justice, terrorism, and fair housing. He has also been a consultant to government and private agencies. Prior to joining academia, he was a legislative assistant to Congressman Charles B. Rangel of New York and Special Counsel to the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition, he served as managing attorney for the Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh, where he was also director of a program created under a federal consent decree to desegregate public and assisted housing. He is the author of the following Sage titles: Understanding Terrorism 2/e, Juvenile Justice, and The New Era of Terrorism.