Author(s): Michael Burleigh

World History

A far-reaching history of terrorism across the world from its beginnings to the modern-day, from the highly acclaimed author of Sacred Causes and Earthly Powers. The paperback will include new material, covering the elections in Pakistan, the death of Benazir Bhutto and the lasting impact of these events.

Basing his study on a wide range of sources and key players from the world of terrorism, Burleigh explains and defines the meaning of terrorism and marks its progression from its hard to trace beginnings to the modern-day. Burleigh takes us from the origins of terrorism in the Irish Republican Brotherhood - the precursors of the IRA - on to look at Tsarist Russia where the 'intelligentsia' launched attacks on organs of state, and left-wing fighting against 'Fascism' and 'Nazism' in the 70's and 80's in western Germany and Italy. But such nationalist terrrorism has in turn been eclipsed by international jihadist violence, largely driven by widespread resentment of the successful societes of the West.Burleigh explores the background and the milieu of people engaged in careers of political violence, and examines their various mindsets as revealed by their actions rather than words.