The Psychology of Terrorism Fears
Samuel Justin Sinclair and Daniel Antonius
Reviews and Awards
"Sinclair and Antonius confront the psychology of terrorism fears head-on by looking at how people are affected by terrorism threats in a world of terror alerts and often ambiguous official warnings. This book will be valuable for researchers and policymakers interested in building a sustainable framework for preventive interventions, and ultimately, a more resilient public." -Gary LaFree, Director, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), University of Maryland
"Psychological responses to acts of terrorism or the anticipatory fear of future terrorism-related events represent complex phenomena that continue to challenge scholars from various academic fields. In this volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a very timely and wide-ranging approach to a more comprehensive understanding of these complex psychological processes. Drawing on both empirical and theoretical literature, this extremely well-written and thought-provoking volume is a valuable and significant tool for those interested in the psychology of terrorism-related fears, be they academics, policymakers, practitioners, or laypeople." -- Maria (Maki) Haberfield, Professor and Chair, Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York
"Does terrorism really terrorize? How does our fear of terrorism drive our understanding of it? And ultimately, do our responses to terrorism simply sustain that fear? In this ambitious and comprehensive volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a much needed review of our knowledge of this critical issue. Effective counterterrorism in the post-9/11 era requires us to rely on a better understanding of the dynamics of terrorism and how we are affected by its perceived threat. The Psychology of Terrorism Fears is essential reading for all policymakers and communications planners who need to know how to prepare for effective disaster communication and threat management." -- John Horgan, Director, International Center for the Study of Terrorism, Pennsylvania State University
"Sinclair and Antonius have provided a powerful and highly readable conceptual framework for better understanding our psychological reactions to the threat of terrorism. Students, researchers, and practitioners will all find this book to be timely, balanced, and well-written." -- Fathali M. Moghaddam, Professor, Department of Psychology, and Director, Conflict Resolution Program, Department of Government, Georgetown University
"...the authors are to be congratulated on an important scholarly contribution that takes stock of the last, exceedingly fruitful, decade of research on the response to terrorism. Researchers of terrorism, and more broadly all those who are interested in terrorism's psychological effects on its victims, would benefit from this comprehensive book." -- Arie W. Kruglanski, review in PsycCRITIQUES