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Perspectives on Terrorism

NCJ Number
93646
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1983) Pages: 264-276
Author(s)
G Wardlaw
Date Published
1983
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Twelve recent books on terrorism are reviewed to allow assessment of the stage of development of the literature. Discussion includes a general appraisal of the books and examination of some of the more significant papers.
Abstract
The review focuses on six groups: a collection of edited papers, which purport to survey broad areas of terrorism, its nature, theory, and politics; books examining aspects of the response to terrorism; hostage situation; efforts to control terrorism through treaties and international law; the threat of nuclear terrorism; and an annotated bibliography. The volume of most consistent quality was an edited work, Evans and Murphy's 'Legal Aspects of International Terrorism.' There seems little doubt that terrorism will be a feature of the political landscape for the foreseeable future and might be expected to continue to expand. If it is to avoid mere repetition, there must be more emphasis on state terrorism, historical studies, different countries, causal analyses, victims, and crisis management. More serious analyses of terrorist strategy are needed, and terrorist organizations and membership should be examined. It is necessary to diversify away from hostage negotiations into the development of investigative techniques which produce specialized detective skills. Two other areas may become important foci of research and writing on terrorism; (1) the relationship between ordinary criminal behavior and political terrorism and (2) the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

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