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Terrorism 101: A Library Reference & Selected Annotated Bibliography

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Leon Newton, has written "Terrorism 101" that offers a fresh perspective on the many works introducing terrorism that have been published since 9/11.

"Terrorism 101" covers a wide variety of ideas and subjects that have been all been hotly debated within the subject. It opens with the a discussion of the definition of terrorism and rather than becoming bogged down here as so many other authors have done, he offers us a workable definition and then quickly moves on to a historical discussion of the issue.

Newton also covers Al-Qaeda, The PATRIOT Act, International Terrorism, Causes of Terrorism, Media and Terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Potentials of Future Terrorism. Newton's book is easy to read and students will not find it difficult to follow.

It is in the second half of the book that "Terrorism 101" breaks with the other books in the market and offers an Annotated Bibliography that will prove to be of immense valve to the reader.

What Newton has done is compile an Annotated Bibliography of terrorism related books, articles, scholarly related publications, government publications, reports and Internet sources. These resources will be of immense aid to any student of current events as well as the secondary school or collegiate level student conduction research for assignments.

This book is designed for a public or private library with students beginning their research into the subject of terrorism. This book would also be a great addition to any personal library due to its outstanding bibliography.

Whether purchased for a private, public or personal collection "Terrorism 101" is an excellent addition to any library.

Terrorism 101 provides an insightful and educational read into the "nuts and bolts" of Terrorism. Terrorism is not a new trend. Dr. Leon Newton shows that terrorism has existed for as long as Governments have been in place. He points to historical accounts of terrorism that go back to such early periods as BC 334.

Terrorism 101 offers readers a detailed account of the history of terrorism, the role of the media and terrorism, the historical roots of terrorism, countering terrorism, foreign policies and their influence on terrorism, and a historical account of the formation of Al Qaeda. A thoroughly researched reference book, Terrorism 101 presents an enlightened perspective on terrorism. An in depth Appendix and Bibliography provides readers with many works written by other experts in the field of terrorism.

With so much written about terrorism, it is often difficult to research the topic to gain an understanding of the motives behind it. Dr. Newton provides readers with well-researched and factually documented information that helps one understand the various aspects of terrorism. It is a handy resource tool for those seeking to educate themselves about the many issues concerning terrorism.

When reading the book, a number of important topics come up. The role of the media and its ability to sway public opinion is one important concern. It would have been interesting to see a chapter devoted exclusively to the Cable Television News Networks. The 24-hour news channels are a powerful tool in swaying public opinion. For instance, when the subject of invading Iraq was placed in the public domain, the 24 hour news channels first tried to show both sides, those for and those against. Later, a bias evolved supporting the pro invasion side, possibly motivated by the thrill of accompanying the military during the invasion, which may have influenced journalists to stop asking the right questions.

Much like the "war on drugs," the declaration of "war on terror" and the use of preemptive strikes reveal an unrealistic ideal. The Preemptive Strike Doctrine only fuels the spread of Terrorism. By addressing historical and current events, Dr. Newton points out that "modernizing a culture too fast can lead to a proliferation of terrorists, as those who feel marginalized, powerless, and threatened," become easy prey for terrorist organizations seeking new recruits.

Dr. Newton explains that military intervention alone does not stop terrorists. In times of turmoil, losing one's rational perspective, diplomatic voice, and non-military methods aimed at preventing terrorism, can only lead to the further proliferation of terrorists. We see this happening in Iraq.

Terrorism 101 provides readers with a rational and comprehensive guide to understanding terrorism and the choices that are available to reduce the spread of terrorist activities with the goal of preventing such horrific events as 911. I highly recommend this well crafted and well-researched book to readers interested in a rational approach to understanding terrorism. It should be an added resource tool for all libraries and personal reference collections.

Tracy Roberts, Write Field Services Reviewer.

Paperback: 316 pages

Publisher: Outskirts Press (July 3, 2006)

ISBN: 1598006118

Written by Leon Newton Ph. D. (Professor of Political Science at Jackson State University), Terrorism 110: A Library Reference & Selected Annotated Bibliography is a solid reference, written for scholars, field professionals, and lay readers alike. Drawing upon history, research, and a wealth of documentation, chapters illuminate the true nature of the terrorist group Al Qaeda, why the root causes of terrorism cannot be explained simply, the relationship between terrorism and the media, the ramifications of terrorism in today's modern age, and much more. A massive, 150-page bibliography is as valuable as the main text, which draws succinct and well-reasoned conclusions where it can and states plainly when there is too little evidence to be certain. Enthusiastically recommended as an informed and informative study text to dispel common myths about terrorism such as the belief that poverty causes it, or that all terrorists are insane.

Dr. Leon Newton is a Professor of Political Science at Jackson State University, and he has drawn on his experience as researcher, strategist, and analyst to author Terrorism 101: A Library Reference and Selected Annotated Bibliography. Written in thesis format, Terrorism 101 provides an exhaustive introduction to modern terrorism, and its effects on both world and U.S. policy. Dr. Newton goes a step further to provide a lengthy annotated bibliography of English language books, documents, court cases, and internet sites on a wide range of topics related to terrorism. Terrorism 101 would prove an invaluable research tool for the dearth of information on terror to libraries, researchers, political scientists, and students. Dr. Newton's writing is succinct and referenced, and he has written from a point of authority that lends credence to his arguments on causes and responses to terrorist acts beginning with the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center.

One aspect of terrorism that gives pause for thought is the very definition. Politically this has become a heated topic as more and more terms come spilling out of the Senate and Executive branch. Verging on McCarthyistic anathema in certain circles, the notion of the terrorist as any one other than a card carrying mujahadeen is becoming extinct. Acts like John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry or the bombing of the steamboat Sultana or even, perhaps loosely, the Boston Tea Party are largely forgotten in light of this new and somewhat ethnocentric definition of terrorism. The fatal flaw to this current American definition of terrorism is the loose way in which terrorist groups work. Dr. Newton provides numerous examples, but perhaps most vital is the rise of mujahadeen opposed to Communist occupation of Afghanistan. The covert aid the US provided to guerilla groups ultimately forced Soviet withdrawal, but the weapons and training where turned on US troops when war heated up post-9/11.

This brings to mind Benazir Bhutto's argument that the most successful weapon for a war on terror is education. People would not be inclined to violent protest if they understood the means of democracy and freedom of expression. But, this same argument applies to the US as well. In light of the ambivalence of No Child Left Behind's definitions of "proficiency" and "assessment", perhaps a misunderstood definition of "terrorism" comes as no surprise. That's where Terrorism 101 provides a vital link to understanding current US policy with insight to history and world events.

Dr Leon Newton brings us an extremely comprehensive study of terrorism. This book is more than a library reference book. It is written in an easy-to-follow format, covering the history of terrorism from Bible times to modern times. Organized terrorist groups are well covered, as are the mavericks. The weapons of terror, biological warfare, nuclear weapons and cyberterrorism are just a few of the issues discussed in the book.

My interest was captured and held from the book's introduction through the bibliography. Each chapter is preceded by its own introduction and most of the chapters are followed by a summary.

If I could choose just one word to sum up what the book does for its readers, I would say that it "Enlightens".

Dr. Newton's library reference book thoroughly examines the problematic of defining and describing terrorism, its history yesterday and today, Al Qaeda, the dilemmas democracies, particularly the United States, face when confronted with such assaults, the capacity of the international community including the United Nations in this era, various conceptualizations about the causes of terrorism, the role of the media, and the use of the potential for bio-chemical and nuclear/radiological weaponry, cyberterrorism, and the role of counterterrorism in what Newton refers to as the New Age of Terrorism. Because this book includes an extensive annotated bibliography, it serves as a basic resource for both the initiate and the seasoned expert on terrorism.

On September 11, 2001, when the second plane expertly made the 90 degree turn and crashed with calculated deliberation into the second tower of the World Trade Center, I found myself at a loss. I wondered who would do this and why? Was this another Oklahoma City or something broader? Once the national emotionality began to subside and we started to ask questions our government told us that this was a terrorist attack and that we should prepare for the possibility of further assaults. Later it occurred to many that 9/11 was possible because the elites governing this country were not paying attention to the correct information. They couldn't stop something that they unable to imagine as possible. How then do we, the citizens, protect ourselves? Is our democracy threatened? Will our aspirations to live free as individuals survive the garrison mentality of a global war on terrorism? Will liberty and justice for all remain an important American ideal? Concerns and questions such as these lead me to Dr. Newton's reference book entitled Terrorism 101. Not only does this book answer these questions, but it also broadened my understanding and encouraged me to read further and deeper. How we "identify, stop and prevent terrorism" to quote Dr. Newton, depends upon our deployment of "our arsenal...of people (expert) in diplomacy, intelligence gathering, computers, anthropology, economics, communications, crisis management, arbitration, languages, foreign relations" etc.

The problem with writing about terrorism is, nobody has yet determined exactly what it is, or even who it's exponents are. One man's terrorist is, after all, another man's freedom fighter and, though an utterly unemotional definition of the term would not allow that distinction to stand in its way.

Author Newton believes that "terrorism is the intentional use of, or threat to use, violence against civilians, in order to attain political aims." But, of course, politics and policy-makers will never wholly get behind that, simply because it would not suit their own machinations to do so.

We are left, therefore, in a situation that is somewhat analogous to that facing the citizens of Airstrip One, in Orwell's 1984. Terrorists in the modern world, like the foreign enemy in the novel, are whoever we are told they are, and all we can do is hope that the policy makers know what they're talking about. But remember this, throughout the 1980s, Nelson Mandela's ANC was regarded as a terrorist organization by much of the western world.

The whats, whos and even whys of all this are at the heart of this remarkable book, first via a series of very readable introductions to the nature of, and responses to terrorism, then through a lengthy (150 page) bibliography of the subject.

Author Newton, a Professor of Political Science at Jackson State University, intends the book as a library reference work and it certainly fulfills that function. His notes on every one of the books in the bibliography are at least cogent enough to let the student know if it's a volume he should be investigating. But the first half of the book is crammed with sufficient insight and detail to stand as a primer in its own right, while his refusal to be drawn into underlining any single definition of his subject affords the reader a more open-minded view that many more conventional discussions.

In the wake of 9/11, the terrible finger of terrorism touched everyone.

For those with even the faintest glimmer of further interest, where to start is the obvious question. Professor Leon Newton, Ph. D., provides the answer. His book, Terrorism 101: A Library Reference & Selected Annotated Bibliography, is a valuable tool for the neophyte reader on the subject and for the terrorism researcher. His diligent, thoughtful and thorough analysis provides an overview account of terrorism - a massive subject that is a particularly pungent topic for most of us - while providing an excellent annotated bibliography which allows those interested to pursue further reading.

As a former student of terrorism, I wish this book had been available when I sat down to write my thesis. Unlike many academicians, his prose is lucid, direct and easy to digest. I would highly recommend this book as the perfect starting point for anyone interested in terrorism. To those already informed about the topic, his bibliography will greatly reduce the effort and time needed to discover new sources that are worth examining.

Tom Peric, president, Cherry Hill, NJ-based Galileo Communications Inc., and the author of Wacky Days.

Terrorism 101 is an annotated bibliography, a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph, or annotation, the function of which is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Webster defines terrorism as "the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion." For most, that definition is sufficient, but there is no single definitive definition of the word. Author Leon Newton says, "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." I believe that "terrorism" is a relative term open to many different interpretations.

Newton observes that most "terrorists" do not conform to the typical expectation of what a terrorist is. For instance, he or she is not necessarily a socially or economically lower-class person. Newton combines many different views to support his own perception of terrorism. There may never be a "complete" compilation of outlooks on terrorism simply because it continues to evolve on an almost daily basis. That being said, Terrorism 101 is certainly a good reference for today's current perspective on the term.

The book itself is not what I would describe as an easy read, but apropos to an annotated bibliography on the mark. Newton does use this venue to express his disagreement with the PATRIOT Act. I agree that the PATRIOT Act has its shortcomings, but more so I feel that it is for the good of the country. Certainly it is the result of a terrorist act and as such has its place in this book, but it should not be vituperated in each chapter. This book is recommended for those needing a thorough reference on the topic of terrorism.