International terrorism and the ‘war’ against it have come to define the age in which we live. The threat of terrorist attacks and the measures taken by governments around the world to prevent such atrocities are now part of our daily lives. But what exactly do we mean by global terrorism? Why does it occur? And, most importantly, what can be done about it? This book explores global terror from a range of perspectives – from the impact of terrorism on the international system to the American ‘War on Terror’ and the individual motivations of the suicide bomber. Core themes such as the funding of terrorist groups and the roles of intelligence-gathering and international law in combating terrorism are fully explored. The volume also offers in-depth analyses of the relationship between globalization and terrorism as well as regional and country-based responses to the rise of terrorist networks in Europe, Russia, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Understanding Global Terror includes a thought-provoking preface by Philip C. Bobbitt and contributions from Christopher Ankersen, Alexander Bialsky, James Boutilier, Chris Brown, Michael Cox, Lawrence Freedman, Margot Light, Christopher Mackmurdo, Kerry Lynn Nanikvell, Martin Navias, Ami Pedahzur, Arie Perliger, Dinah Pokempner, Timothy Shaw, and William Wallace.