Can there be an end to terrorism? Is there a pathway out of terrorism? How did terrorism originate? The present book - an outcome of the conference Pathways out of Terrorism and Insurgency: A Comparative Analysis of Peace Processes held in Priverno, Italy - focuses on the social, political, economic and psychological roots of terrorism and explores the dynamics of contemporary terrorism as well as the possibilities and limitations of peace processes undertaken by governments in order to end terrorist violence.
Towards the middle of the 1990s, hopes for reducing violence and enhancing stability and order in the international system - which came about with the end of the Cold War - were increasingly put into question. Enormous resources are being expended on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency efforts around the world. Yet one of the most difficult tasks facing policy-makers and security officials is deciding on the appropriate governmental responses to terrorist violence. The complexity of contemporary conflict in the post-Cold War security environment requires more subtle and multidimensional strategies, including the judicious use of conflict management tools.
The contributions are theoretical as well as focused on specific case studies: Israel/Palestine; Northern Ireland; Colombia; the Basque Country and Sri Lanka. It traces the rise and growth of various terrorist groups. Different kinds of analyses have been employed in the book - historical, sociological, political, etc - to study the dynamics of terrorism.