The War on Terror - (Short Histories) by Andrew Thomson & Rubrick Biegon

About the Book

An enduring feature of American foreign policy for over two decades. This book shows how the War on Terror has changed global politics, why it has been fought and why it has proven so difficult to end despite multiple failed attempts at course correction.

Book Synopsis

The War on Terror has remained an enduring feature of American foreign policy for over two decades. This short history positions the War on Terror within the broader context of Cold War interventionism and the rise of various transnational threats to American (and global) security during the late twentieth century. It introduces readers to the main concepts, debates and theories which have been used to understand and make sense of the War on Terror. These include approaches that frame it as a disparate set of policies aimed at reducing the risk of terrorist attacks against American citizens at both home and aboard; as part of a project aimed at helping maintain the United States' dominant position within international politics; and as an idea intimately bound up with perceptions of American national identity and America's place in the world. In this way, the book aims to show how the War on Terror has changed global politics, as well as why it has been fought and proven so difficult to end despite multiple failed attempts at course correction. The book is ideally suited for courses on international security, American foreign policy and contemporary world politics.

Review Quotes

Nearly a quarter century since two planes slammed into the World Trade Center, we still need reminding of what a critical moment 9/11 was for the world in general and the United States in particular. This fast-moving and highly readable account focusing primarily on the United States as the main protagonist in the 'Global War on Terror' is by far and away the best starting-point for thinking about an ill-defined conflict which has not only led to hundreds of thousands of deaths while propelling the US into at least two ill-fated interventions in the Middle East, but even today shows no signs of coming to an end. A must read for students and scholars alike.--Michael Cox, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics

This sharp, insightful history traces the origins of the war on terror, and examines its profound impacts for global security, human rights and the rule of law. A must-read for anyone seeking to understand the enduring legacy of this pivotal era and its far-reaching consequences.--Ruth Blakeley, Professor of Politics and International Relations, University of Sheffield

This much-needed book gives us a vital introduction to the War on Terror's emergence, evolution and global impacts. Wide-ranging and analytically perceptive, it offers an essential overview of the United States' political and military response to 9/11.--Lee Jarvis, Professor of International Politics, Loughborough University

About the Author

Andrew Thomson is Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Queen's University Belfast.

Rubrick Biegon is Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Kent.