Root Causes of Terrorism: Myths, Reality and Ways Forward

What are the main factors and circumstances that give rise to terrorism? This is a question commonly addressed in political discourse on terrorism and is considered an alternative to dealing with terrorism through military force. However, there have been surprisingly few attempts to analyze the causes of terrorism in a book format. Root Causes of Terrorismis one of the first to provide a detailed account of the motivations behind terrorism. The questions raised include: What are the main factors and circumstances that give rise to various forms of terrorism? What factors provide the preconditions for the emergence of various types of terrorism? What are the typical precipitants for terrorist acts? To what extent is it possible to reduce the problem of terrorism by influencing these root causes? Is it possible to identify root causes in advance of an attack? Should we address those factors that sustain terrorist campaignsrather than root causes? Written by a team of leading international experts, this book provides a sophisticated analysis of one of the most pressing issues facing the world today and is essential reading for those with a research and professional interest in Terrorism and Security Studies.