Historical Dictionary of Terrorism (Historical Dictionaries of War, Revolution, and Civil Unrest) [Hardcover]

Sean K. Anderson (Author), Stephen Sloan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0810857642 | ISBN-13: 978-0810857643 | Publication Date: August 3, 2009 | Edition: Third Edition

The United States Department of Defense defines terrorism as "the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological." While terrorism has been around for centuries, it was the al Qa'eda attacks of September 11, 2001, that brought home to the world, and most particularly the United States, just how dangerous terrorism can be.

The third edition of the Historical Dictionary of Terrorism presents the full spectrum of forms of political violence through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on major terrorist groups and their leaders, significant terrorist events, cyber-terrorism, counterterrorism, and social science concepts regarding the motivations and group dynamics of terrorist groups. Authors Sean K. Anderson and Stephen Sloan move beyond the gut reaction we have to this volatile and divisive topic by providing a reliable and objective reference on terrorism.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Separately, the authors have researched and written about terrorism for either the newspapers or for the U.S. government. Though they reach back into antiquity to include such topics as the Zealots and the "assassins," the majority of their work deals with the 20th century and its explosion of terrorist movements. As the authors explain in the introduction, terrorism is primarily a political act?although the culprits can range from government agencies to "terrorists for hire." The articles are informative and fairly extensive, some covering several pages, and the scope covers not only familiar people and topics (Che, the IRA) but also more obscure concepts (guilt transference) and events ("Black June"). The articles can serve as either a complete answer to a reference question or the basis for further research. The work includes an extensive bibliography and a glossary of abbreviations, extremely helpful since many groups are known by their initials alone. Recommended for both public and academic libraries.?John F. Camenga, Tampa-Hillsborough P.L., Fla.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In the latest in the publisher’s Historical Dictionaries of War, Revolution, and Civil Unrest series, two experts have expanded and updated their 2002 edition, drawing from their own and others’ studies. They begin with a helpful 16-page list of acronyms and abbreviations that capture the historical and global compass of the subject. A 21-page chronology starts with the Zealot revolt against Rome in Judea in AD 66 and continues through the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India. A 26-page introduction defines the topic, covers historical and contemporary patterns, and explains the classification of terrorist groups by type (state, revolutionary, or entrepreneurial). The hundreds of entries, covering 711 pages, vary widely in length, depending on the importance of and detail needed for the subject. The dictionary encompasses individuals, groups, events, doctrines, and concepts such as Power law, which is the mathematical relation between the numbers and intensity of events. The 2-page African National Congress entry notes that Jacob Zuma was sworn in as president of South Africa in May 2009. The 6-page essay on Sikh militants distinguishes between the three most prominent groups and shows how they have secured their place in Indian society, notably with the election of a Sikh as prime minister in 2004. A paragraph on the Tamil Tigers leads the user to a 7-page essay on the reconstituted Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which is current to their defeat in May 2009 in their last stronghold. At the end of the work is an extensive 85-page bibliography, with a helpful introduction and well-organized arrangement. This is an accurate, objective, and clearly written resource that will be useful in public and academic libraries. --Arthur Meyers

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 880 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press; Third Edition edition (August 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810857642
• ISBN-13: 978-0810857643
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,408,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Reference, May 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Historical Dictionary of Terrorism (Hardcover)

This book is an essential reference for those that are involved in researching terrorism. As the below reviewer cites, there is a timeline of key events and an A-Z of terms and organizations, as well as a very extensive bibliography/recommended reading section. I use this book so often, that it no longer has a place on the shelf, it sits on my desk. A very impressive effort on the authors' part. Outstanding.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrorism from A to Z, April 25, 2000

By 

"[e-mail]" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Historical Dictionary of Terrorism (Hardcover)

The Historical Dictionary of Terrorism by Sean Anderson and Stephen Sloan provides a ready reference into the multifaceted topic of terrorism. The authors literally go through the breadth of terrorism from A to Z--including informative entries on groups, concepts, individuals. The work includes an extensive bibliography that is helpful in continuing research on the listed topics. The Dictionary also contains a chronology of significant incidents, ideas and personalities pertaining to terrorism from A.D. 66 to 1994. This 450 page work has been an essential reference tool for me as an analyst and an academic. I have used the Dictionary to refresh my memory of groups and individuals as I write, as well as, before I teach a college class on issues of terrorism. While I would like more depth on some of the entries, the entries provide enough material to answer most of my questions, or at least point me in the right direction. It is one of my most used books in my terrorism library.