Terrorism and Counterterrorism

Focusing on the continued terrorist threat by jihadist groups, such as Al Qaeda and ISIS, and homegrown violent far-right and far-left extremists in the West, Terrorism and Counterterrorism investigates this form of political violence in a historical and contemporary context. In this comprehensive and highly readable text, renowned expert Brigitte Nacos clearly defines terrorism’s diverse causes, actors, and strategies; outlines anti- and counterterrorist responses; and highlights terrorism’s relationship with the public and media. Terrorism and Counterterrorism introduces students to the field’s main debates and helps them critically assess our understanding of, and our strategies for, addressing this complex and enduring issue.

New to the Seventh Edition:



The new chapter 3 reviews the history of terrorism—both domestic and international, whereas the new chapter 4 analyses the terrorist landscape in the third decade of the 21st century—including the transnational links between violent far-right and far-left violent extremists.The discussion of religious terrorism in chapter 5 ends with an added section about QAnon as religiopolitical cult.An extended section in chapter 7 is devoted to the increasingly militant roles of females in violent far-right extremism.The revised chapter 10 starts with the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from Afghanistan and an account of total costs spent on the post-9/11 war against terrorism before discussing the counterterrorism strategies of presidents G.W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden.The failures and successes of the U.S. intelligence community in efforts to prevent terrorism at home with relevant data and case studies are new features in chapter 12.