Table Of Content‘A sophisticated contribution to the understanding of terrorism. Theoretically serious-minded,
and genuinely multi-disciplinary, it adds very powerfully to existing debates on a globally
significant phenomenon.’
—Richard English, Queen’s University Belfast, UK
Praise for the first edition
‘Few topics have stimulated as much public debate as contemporary terrorism. What, if
anything, does the word itself mean? Where did it come from? How serious a threat does it
pose, and to whom? What are the best means for stopping it or at least mitigating its effects?
[The editors] have assembled an outstanding group of scholars who debate the answers to
these and other questions in a way that provides readers with clear understandings of both
the complexity of the problems involved and alternative ways of solving them.’
—Leonard Weinberg, University of Nevada, USA
‘This is a comprehensive, thought-provoking and fascinating volume. It provides the reader
with conflicting views on terrorism and terrorism related phenomena. The authors are
prominent scholars who offer fascinating arguments in a lucid style. This is the kind of
scholarship that every individual who has an interest in terrorism should follow.’
—Ami Pedahzur, University of Texas at Austin, USA
‘This is an impressive collection of essays on a number of critically important debates on
terrorism and political violence by an outstanding group of scholars. Incredibly rich, sober
and mature in analysis Contemporary Debates on Terrorism is an excellent addition to the cur-
rently available literature and deserves to be read not only by academic specialists but also by
security analysts, policy makers and general readers concerned about international security
issues.’
—George Kassimeris, University of Wolverhampton, UK
‘Contemporary Debates on Terrorism presents a lively and informative selection of central debates
which exemplify the modern terrorist environment. [The editors] have assembled an excep-
tionally qualified panel of experts who articulately address critical issues defining the nature
of present-day terrorism. Questions posed by the authors, and the robust positions taken
by experts in this field, are guaranteed to stimulate critical thinking and quality discussions
among readers.’
—Gus Martin, California State University, USA
‘An innovative pedagogic approach to studying terrorism and counterterrorism through a
debate format, with scholars representing different perspectives debating one another over
controversial issues.’
—Joshua Sinai, ‘Terrorism Bookshelf: Top 150 Books on Terrorism and
Counterterrorism’, Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol. 6, No. 2 (2012)
‘A terrific contribution to any library, personal or academic, and should there be a follow up
work to this venture from Jackson and Sinclair, it will be sought after.’
—Devon Simons, Aberystwyth University, UK
Contemporary Debates on Terrorism
Contemporary Debates on Terrorism is an innovative textbook, addressing a number of key issues
in terrorism studies from both traditional and ‘critical’ perspectives. This second edition
has been revised and updated to cover contemporary issues such as the rise of ISIL and
cyberterrorism.
In recent years, the terrorism studies field has grown in quantity and quality, with a
growing number of scholars rooted in various professional disciplines beginning to debate
the complex dynamics underlying this category of violence. Within the broader field, there
are a number of identifiable controversies and questions which divide scholarly opinion and
generate opposing arguments. These relate to theoretical issues, such as the definition of
terrorism and state terrorism, substantive issues like the threat posed by al-Qaeda/ISIL and
the utility of different responses to terrorism, different pathways leading people to engage in
terrorist tactics and ethical issues such as the use of drones.
This new edition brings together in one place many of the field’s leading scholars to debate
the key issues relating to a set of 16 important controversies and questions. The format
of the volume involves a leading scholar taking a particular position on the controversy,
followed by an opposing or alternative viewpoint written by another scholar. In addition
to the pedagogic value of allowing students to read opposing arguments in one place, the
volume will also be important for providing an overview of the state of the field and its key
lines of debate.
This book will be essential reading for students of terrorism studies and political violence,
critical terrorism studies, security studies and IR in general.
Richard Jackson is Professor of Peace Studies and Director of the National Centre for
Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago, New Zealand. He is the founding editor
and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Critical Studies on Terrorism and editor of the Routledge
Critical Terrorism Studies book series. His most recent publications include the Routledge
Handbook of Critical Terrorism Studies (Routledge, 2016) and Confessions of a Terrorist (2014).
Daniela Pisoiu is Senior Researcher at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs
(OIIP), Vienna, Austria. She is the author of Islamist Radicalisation in Europe: An Occupational
Change Process (Routledge, 2011), co-author of Theories of Terrorism: An Introduction (Routledge,
2017) and editor of Arguing Counterterrorism: New Perspectives (Routledge, 2014).
Contemporary
Debates on Terrorism
Second Edition
Edited by
Richard Jackson and
Daniela Pisoiu
First published 2012
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
This edition published 2018
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2012; 2018 selection and editorial material, Richard Jackson and
Daniela Pisoiu; individual chapters, the contributors
The right of the editor to be identified as the author of the editorial
material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been
asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Jackson, Richard, 1966– editor. | Pisoiu, Daniela, editor.
Title: Contemporary debates on terrorism / edited by Richard
Jackson and Daniela Pisoiu.
Description: Second edition. | Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY :
Routledge, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017048539| ISBN 9781138931350 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781138931367 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781315679785 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Terrorism. | Terrorism—Prevention.
Classification: LCC HV6431 .C6528 2018 | DDC 363.325—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017048539
ISBN: 978-1-138-93135-0 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-93136-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-67978-5 (ebk)
Typeset in Baskerville
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
Acknowledgements xiii
The editors xv
Notes on contributors xvii
Introduction: contemporary debates on terrorism 1
Daniela Pisoiu and Richard Jackson
PART I
The definition and study of terrorism 11
1 Is terrorism still a useful analytical term,
or should it be abandoned? 13
YES: an agreed concept is possible and useful 13
Anthony Richards
NO: a landscape of meaning: constructing understandings
of political violence from the broken paradigm of ‘terrorism’ 19
Dominic Bryan
Discussion questions 26
Further readings 27
2 Is Critical Terrorism Studies a useful approach
to the study of terrorism? 28
YES: the necessity of a critical approach 28
Christopher Baker-Beall
NO: don’t give it the oxygen of publicity 33
Roger Mac Ginty
Discussion questions 40
Further readings 40
viii Contents
PART II
Categories of terrorism 41
3 Is there a ‘new terrorism’ in existence today? 43
YES: the relevance of the ‘new terrorism’ concept 43
Ersun N. Kurtulu¸s
NO: the fallacy of the new terrorism thesis 50
Isabelle Duyvesteyn and Leena Malkki
Discussion questions 57
Further readings 57
4 Can states be terrorists? 58
YES: terrorism is an equal opportunity tactic 58
Scott Englund and Michael Stohl
NO: state terrorism: who needs it? 65
Colin Wight
Discussion questions 72
Further readings 72
PART III
The terrorism threat 73
5 Is terrorism a serious threat to international
and national security? 75
YES: the continuing threat to state security 75
James Lutz and Brenda Lutz
NO: the myth of terrorism as an existential threat 80
Jessica Wolfendale
Discussion questions 87
Further readings 87
6 Is WMD terrorism a likely prospect in the future? 88
YES: the impact of CBRN terrorism – a general perspective 88
Natividad Carpintero-Santamaría
NO: WMD terrorism: the prospects 95
John Mueller
Discussion questions 101
Further readings 101
Contents ix
7 Is cyberterrorism a real threat? 102
YES: why we should start from this assumption 102
Maura Conway
NO: a narrated catastrophe, not a real threat 108
Myriam Dunn Cavelty
Discussion questions 114
Further readings 115
8 Does al-Qaeda still pose the more significant threat? 116
YES: the enduring al-Qaeda threat: a network perspective 116
Jeffrey B. Cozzens and Magnus Ranstorp
NO: al-Qaeda: a diminishing threat 122
Lee Jarvis
Discussion questions 129
Further readings 129
9 Are returning foreign fighters future terrorists? 131
YES: returning foreign fighters are future terrorists 131
Edwin Bakker and Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn
NO: terrorists returning home were not radicalised
abroad 138
Richard Bach Jensen and Felix Lippe
Discussion questions 144
Further readings 145
PART IV
The causes of terrorism 147
10 Is terrorism the result of root causes such as poverty
and exclusion? 149
YES: how structural factors explain terrorism 149
Dipak K. Gupta
NO: poverty and exclusion are not the root causes
of terrorism 155
Graham R. Huesmann and L. Rowell Huesmann
Discussion questions 162
Further readings 163
