Introduction

In an effort to capture the vast complexity of terrorism, and to widen the scope of the agenda that informs terrorism research, this book presents a series of analyses that examine the role of the perpetrators, the experience of the victims, the public and media perceptions of both and, given the inherent intricacy of the phenomenon, how we might think about engaging with perpetrators in an effort to prevent further violence. By considering the role of the many actors who are central to our understanding and framing of terrorism and political violence, we aim to highlight the need to focus on how the interactivity of individuals and contexts have implications for the emergence, maintenance and termination of campaigns of political violence. This chapter introduces the main themes presented in this volume and introduces the reader to the work of the contributing authors.