Repertoires of Terrorism

Andreas Feldmann masterfully brings back ideology and organizational identity to theories on the use of terrorist tactics in civil wars. This book stands out for its detailed yet panoramic comparison of all armed actors, including state security forces, and it will become a crucial reference on Colombia’s war and on terrorist techniques. -- Angélica Durán-Martínez, University of Massachusetts, Lowell What explains the logic of terrorism in civil war? Feldmann shows that armed groups deploy terrorist tactics in line with organizational identities shaped by their history, ideology, leadership, and connections with organized crime. This is an impressive study of armed actors in the Colombian civil war, a tragedy that has displaced six million and killed half a million people. -- Aníbal Pérez-Liñán, director of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, University of Notre Dame Andreas Feldmann's pioneering analysis of how terrorism is employed in Colombia's long-lasting civil war focuses not only on the FARC's and ELN's deliberate attacks on civilians but also studies the state's security forces and paramilitary groups seeking to preserve the status quo. He does so masterfully, covering all the complex interactions of state and nonstate actors. This book can serve as a model for a better understanding of other civil wars where political violence and organized crime have become enmeshed. Importantly, Feldmann's book also offers suggestions on how to diminish conditions of terrorist violence in internal conflicts. -- Alex P. Schmid, Distinguished Fellow, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), The Hague Provides a framework for how we can look at violence and anticipate attacks or even develop strategies for peace and reconciliation. The book provides this crucial academic and practical understanding while still recognizing the deep human cost of violence against civilians. Andreas E. Feldmann’s dedication to this topic shows how necessary it is that we understand and empathize in order to act. * ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America *