Terrorism: A History

by Randall Law

We live in an era dominated by terrorism but struggle to understand its meaning and the real nature of the threat. In this new edition of his widely acclaimed survey of the topic, Randall Law makes sense of the history of terrorism by examining it within its broad political, religious and social contexts and tracing its development from the ancient world to the 21st century. In A History, Law reveals how the very definition of the word has changed, how the tactics and strategies of terrorism have evolved, and how those who have used it adapted to revolutions in technology, communications, and political ideologies. A History extensively covers such topics as jihadist violence, state terror, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Northern Ireland, anarcho-terrorism, and the Ku Klux Klan, plus lesser known movements in Uruguay and Algeria, as well as the pre-modern uses of terror in ancient Rome, medieval Europe, and the French Revolution. This thoroughly revised edition features up-to-date analysis · Al-Qaeda’s affiliates and the “franchising” of jihadism· “Lone wolf” violence in the United States and Europe· Sri Lanka’s victory over the Tamil Tigers Other features include updated and expanded bibliographies in each chapter, more scholarly citations, and a new conclusion, making A History the go-to book for those wishing to understand the real nature and importance of this ubiquitous phenomenon.

Genres: Terrorism, History

396 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Miriam Cihodariu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it as much as I could, but it left me with such a bitter aftertaste. :/ I think it will take a long time for me to shake this sorrow.

[Harry Steinmetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I also just finished Terrorism: a History by Randall Law. An excellent history and review of themes of terrorism. He breaks up each type of terrorism group and timeframe nicely. But you can clearly see how the predecessors influenced the newer groups. Understanding this also gives you a perspective to understand how we have blow it so badly and the extent to which we are repeating the mistakes of the past. All told in a nice series of stories of the various conflicts. For an academician, he is very readable.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm biased. The author is a friend. I'll give it a 4 to maintain my credibility. Everything you would probably ever need to know about tyrannicide, the Klan and assorted anarchists and bastards. College textbook treatment.

[Peter Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

“the history of terrorism is long, but the casual observer could almost be forgiven for thinking that it began on September, 2001”. So opens the “9/11, the War of Terror, and Recent Trends in Terrorism” chapter well into the body of this skilful work.

So where does this work start, and equally importantly, how is the very nature of terrorism defined ?

The author, rightly in this readers view, provides a wide ranging and evolving definition of terrorism as being multi dimensional, as it has manifested throughout human history driven by a myriad motivation, philosophy, policy, interpretation and ideation.

From the Jewish priest Mattathias and his sons, likely the 1st example of revolutionary terrorism, i.e. not an act to destroy an enemy but rather to inspire others to rise up against what they personally saw as injustice for the whole. Not that everyone saw things the same way.

To the individual act of Charlotte Corday's stabbing Jean-paul Marat "I knew Marat was perverting France and I acted alone to kill one man to save a hundred thousand " likely marking the boundary between the era of tyrannicide and terrorism understood as a symbolic assault on society.

Then the emergence of modern organised groups, such as The People's Will in 1870/80's Russia and their influence on the expanding mystique of revolutionary terrorism across Europe and beyond, with their motivation coming in part from the unrealistic romanticism of the Sicarii zealots.

Forward to the Sub-state ethno-nationalist terrorism found in Ireland as the Irish battled with the English across most of their recorded history, and despite the “granting” of Ireland to the English by the Pope in the 12th century. On to a multitude of Imperialism and State sponsored terror, from times before the Belgian Congo and King Leopold II enslavement, suppression and mass genocide of his self-created Congo “nation”, to South East Asia abounding with examples across time, to those after the genocide in Rwanda and the call to exterminate “the cockroaches”.

Then now to today, to the world we live in now in 2019, and the groups using terror across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. To the rise and demise of Shining Path in Peru and the continuation of FARC in Columbia. So to the incidents being propagated in Europe, North America and Australia, perpetrated and enabled by global digital radicalisation/ motivation.

An excellent work, this being the second edition, that delivers an engaging, informative and comprehensive summarisation of terrorism across the ages of humankind.

[Pinko Palest · Rating 1 out of 5]

the first chapter was interesting, but that is the only good thing I have to say about this. The rest of the book is heavily reactionary, even when dealing with the French Revolution. It is a very conservative take and probably means to play to the american far right gallery. Very lop-sided too, picking and choosing whatever he considers to suit his needs

[Joseph Stieb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewing for H-War, but this is a must for terrorism scholars.

[Mattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a class about terrorism. Gave a good history and kept me entertained considering the readings were long. Pretty good content.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given the terror threats constantly thrown at us by our sensationalist news media, the title alone spikes an emotional reaction in the reader. This is an erudite, somewhat academic but nevertheless very readable account of terrorism across the whole of human civilization, from the Assyrians and the Romans, through the Middle Ages, the Reformation, the Renaissance, and the expansion of European empires, leading into the chaotic twentieth and fearful twenty-first centuries. Clearly, terror is not a new phenomenon; it has been around for most of our recorded history, often been run by states, and has long been a tool of religious and political extremists. The book places it into a social context, explaining in each case why and how it has arisen, and what its effects have been. Law makes it clear that the usual anti-terror strategies are usually quite useless, as a determined terrorist is a force difficult to stop. However, the author offers no solutions, and does not even try to develop one. His role is to educate and enlighten, and perhaps somebody who reads his book will figure out a way to more effectively limit the effects of this very real threat.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly decent overview of terrorism until 2007. Like Dr. Lynn says, the first few chapters (pre-modern terrorism) are kind of weak, but it covers a lot of things from the late 1800s on.

[Moll · Rating 4 out of 5]

POSC 290: International Terrorism