Groundbreaking Review Hails "Terror for Profit" as Essential Reading for Understanding Modern Terrorism
The International Journal of Police Science has published a comprehensive review of Dr. Martin J. Gallagher's Terror for Profit: A New Paradigm for Understanding Terrorism and Organized Crime, describing it as “an enriching new addition to terrorism and crime literature” that presents “an important argument” about the evolution of modern terrorism.
Reviewed by Dr. Nathan P. Jones, Associate Professor of Security Studies at Sam Houston State University and a leading expert on transnational organized crime, the review highlights how Gallagher's work fundamentally challenges our post-9/11 understanding of terrorist motivation.
A Paradigm Shift in Terrorism Studies
Dr. Jones praises Gallagher's central thesis: that we have moved beyond Rapoport's religious wave of terrorism into a new era of profit-motivated “identity terrorism.” As the review notes, Gallagher “challenges us to take a micro level view of terrorism at the individual level,” recognizing that profit encompasses not just monetary gain but also reputation enhancement—a critical insight for understanding lone wolf terrorism.
The review emphasizes Gallagher's important contribution to understanding the intersection of mental health and terrorism, noting his finding that up to 30% of lone wolf terrorists suffer from mental health issues. Crucially, Gallagher demonstrates how these individuals “combine ideologies with their personal frustrations,” moving beyond simplistic explanations that merely dismiss actors as mentally ill.
Practitioner Expertise Meets Academic Rigor
Drawing on over 30 years of law enforcement experience in Scotland and extensive interviews with practitioners, Gallagher brings unique insights to the study of terrorism. Dr. Jones highlights how the book's real-world examples—from the Wagner mercenary group to FARC, IRA splinter groups, ISIS, Hezbollah, and Hamas—make it “particularly valuable” for empirically understanding contemporary terrorism.
Who Should Read This Book
Dr. Jones recommends Terror for Profit as "an excellent addition for anyone in law enforcement, including policymakers, practitioners, and scholars in numerous other academic disciplines, including political scientists, sociologists, criminologists, and security studies specialists."
The review concludes that the book's “most important contribution is to expand our horizons of what constitutes and motivations for terrorism and helps us to remember micro explanations and design counterterrorism strategies around them.”
In an era where understanding terrorist motivation is more critical than ever, Dr. Gallagher's Terror for Profit offers the fresh perspective law enforcement, policymakers, and scholars need to effectively combat evolving threats.
Available now in hardcover and e-book formats from KeyPoint Press.
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Whether you're a security professional, academic, student, or simply interested in understanding the evolving threat landscape, Terror for Profit offers fresh insights into one of the most pressing challenges of our time.
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At KeyPoint Press, we're committed to publishing works that push boundaries and spark important conversations. Terror for Profit exemplifies this commitment, and we're honored to see it receive recognition from leading voices in the security studies community.
