Understanding Terrorism and Political Violence: The Life Cycle of Birth, Growth, Transformation, and Demise

This book provides a multidisciplinary approach to understanding human behavior and analyzes the forces shaping the life cycle of violent political movements. It draws upon research on brain science, evolutionary biology, and social psychology to explain pathological collective behavior and the evolution of terrorist groups. The author warns that rising tribalism and authoritarianism are likely to be exacerbated by climate change, making it essential reading for students of terrorism studies and related fields.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 298 pages
Publication date: 23 September 2020
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book offers a multidisciplinary perspective on human behavior, employing it to examine the factors that shape the life cycle of violent political movements. In this revised and updated second edition, three new chapters have been added, delving deeper into the underlying motivations that drive individuals to join dissident groups, even willing to engage in acts of violence and sacrifice. By drawing upon research in brain science, evolutionary biology, and social psychology, the book provides insights into the pathological collective behavior that characterizes these movements.

The book begins by exploring the motivations of individual participants, shedding light on the cognitive processes and psychological factors that drive them to join extremist organizations. It then moves on to examine the evolution of terrorist groups, exploring theories of organizational development to explain their birth, growth, transformation from ideological groups to criminal syndicates, and eventual demise.

Detailed case studies of three disparate terrorist movements—the nationalists of the IRA, the communist Naxalites of India, and the religious fundamentalists of al-Qaeda and ISIS—are used to support these hypotheses and provide empirical evidence of the life cycle of dissident organizations. The book's theory ultimately leads to an explanation of the current global trend of rising tribalism and authoritarianism. The author warns that this latest wave of xenophobia and authoritarianism is likely to be exacerbated by climate change and the consequent rise in sea levels, which could displace millions of people from the areas most vulnerable to the effects of global warming to the countries that have the resources to mitigate these impacts.

This book is a valuable resource for students of terrorism studies, as well as those interested in social psychology, political science, and sociology. It offers a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the complex factors that contribute to the formation and evolution of violent political movements, providing valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing societies

Weight: 474g
Dimension: 154 x 231 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367277123
Edition number: 2 New edition