"Gus Martin′s Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues (Second Edition) is one of the finest stand-alone, comprehensive textbooks for university courses. Each chapter is organized pedagogically, with opposing viewpoints and issues for classroom discussion."
―Joshua Sinai, ForeWord
"Let me say that this book is one of the most comprehensive works on the matter that I have ever had the pleasure of reading."
―Timothy N. Cash, S2 Institute Orlando
In the same dynamic spirit as the prior edition, the Second Edition of Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues continues to provide students with an interesting, accessible and comprehensive exploration of contemporary terrorism. This new edition is completely updated to offer the most recent theories and cases related to terrorist activity and efforts to combat terrorism over the last three years.
New to the Second Edition:
- Offers a new chapter on religious terrorism: Because religious terrorism has become so prominent in the world today, it is important for readers to investigate the different manifestations of religious violence. This new chapter evaluates the historical and modern origins, as well as the quality of religious terrorism to help students develop a contextual perspective on the modern era of religious violence.
- Includes coverage of cutting-edge issues: New material on gender-selective terrorism and the nexus between criminal enterprises and terrorist violence is provided to orient readers to these emerging topics and stimulate critical thinking. A consolidated chapter on ideological terrorism is also included, in which the causes of left-wing and right-wing terrorism are identified, as are the qualities of ideological violence.
- Provides updated pedagogy: Opening Viewpoints begin each chapter to express in human terms the roots and responses to terrorism. All maps, tables, case studies, and Web exercises have been updated to help students better understand the concepts and issues presented within the text. In addition, more photos are used to help illustrate the violence caused by terrorist activity as well as provide visual context to other areas of the world and different time periods.
Accompanied by High-Quality Ancillaries!
- Instructor′s Resource CD-ROM: provides test questions, maps from the book, and guidance on using Discussion Boxes
- Companion Web site at www.sagepub.com/Martin2Study containts research articles focusing on terrorism that are useful to instructors and students alike for review and further research
Intended Audience:
This text is ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Political Conflict in the fields of Criminal Justice, Political Science, Administration of Justice, Sociology, Public Administration, and Peace Studies; as well as for professionals, such as law enforcement, corporate, or other agency employees.
Clarence Augustus “Gus” Martin is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Criminal Justice Administration at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where he teaches courses on criminal law, terrorism and extremism, and the criminal justice system. He served as the founding Chair of the department and as the founding Director of the School of Public Service and Justice. He also served as Associate Vice President for Human Resources Management, Acting Associate Dean of the College of Business Administration and Public Policy, Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs, and Chair of the Department of Public Administration. He began his academic career as a member of the faculty of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh, where he was an Administration of Justice professor. His current research and professional interests are terrorism and extremism, homeland security, and the administration of justice.
Dr. Martin is author of several books on the subjects of terrorism and homeland security, including Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues (SAGE Publications, 2025); Terrorism and WMDs: Awareness and Response, Third Edition (with John Pichtel, CRC Press, 2025); Understanding Homeland Security (SAGE Publications, 2024); The Handbook of Homeland Security (with Scott Romaniuk and Martin Scott Catino; Routledge, 2023); Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies (SAGE Publications, 2022); Terrorism: An International Perspective (with Fynnwin Prager; SAGE Publications, 2019); The SAGE Encyclopedia of Terrorism, Second Edition (SAGE Publications, 2011); Terrorism and Homeland Security (SAGE, 2011); and The New Era of Terrorism: Selected Readings (SAGE Publications, 2004). He is also author of Juvenile Justice: Process and Systems (SAGE Publications, 2005).
Prior to joining academia, Dr. Martin served as Managing Attorney for the Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh, where he was also director of a program created under a federal consent decree to desegregate public and assisted housing. He was also Special Counsel to the Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands on the island of St. Thomas. As Special Counsel, he occupied a personal and confidential position in the central office of the Department of Justice; sat as hearing officer for disciplinary hearings and departmental grievances; served as chair of the Drug Policy Committee; served as liaison to the intergovernmental Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee as well as to the Narcotics Strike Force; and provided daily legal and policy advice to the Attorney General. Prior to serving as Special Counsel, he was a “floor” Legislative Assistant to Congressman Charles B. Rangel of New York. As Legislative Assistant, he researched, evaluated and drafted legislation in areas of foreign policy, foreign aid, human rights, housing, education, social services, and poverty; he also drafted House floor statements, Congressional Record inserts, press releases, and news articles; and he composed speeches, briefing materials, and legislative correspondence.
Dr. Martin received his A.B. degree from Harvard College, J.D. from Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, and Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
