Includes bibliographical references (p. 275-292) and index.

Introduction -- The psychology of terrorism -- The sociology of identity -- An overview of five extremist organizations -- The Provisional Irish Republican Army -- The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) -- The Peruvian Shining Path -- The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam -- Racist skinheads -- Conclusion.

"The authors of "The Terrorist Identity" explore how the notion of self-concept combined with membership in terrorist and extremist groups, can shape and sustain the identity of a terrorist as well as their subsequent justification for violence and the legitimacy of their militant/terrorist actions. The book provides an understanding of identity that draws on concepts from psychology, criminology, and sociology. It then examines several case studies of various terrorist groups. By making the construct of identity central to this analysis, "The Terrorist Identity" explains how violent and extremist collective behavior emerges culturally, how it informs the identity of group members socially, and how participants come to value their place in these groups even at the expense of life-threatening harm to others or to themselves." -- Cover.