Terrorism’s Unanswered Questions

Despite the growth of interest in the study of terrorism since 9/11, terrorism analysts rarely take a multidisciplinary approach to the subject. This leaves a number of terrorism’s characteristics to be explored in new and unique ways. Terrorism’s Unanswered Questions brings together scholars from the fields of criminology, international relations, law, political science, security studies, and sociology to answer several important questions where consensus has yet to be reached. Each chapter offers a new approach to the question asked that is both unique and challenges popular thought. The result is an original work appealing to a broad audience of scholars and students who desire to develop a better understanding of terrorism’s characteristics.

In the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States terrorism became a topic for the masses to explore, rather than the hidden purview of analysts and scholars tucked away at the CIA or in the ivory tower. Now, more than five years later, there remains much to be discovered about terrorism and its causes. This volume takes a look at some of terrorism’s unanswered questions. How do we define terrorism? What threat does the United States face from weapons of mass destruction? Why has international law failed to stop terrorism? These are but three of the questions addressed in this volume. While the editors do not claim to have all of the answers, they do promise a view of terrorism not seen before.