Terrorism is both palpable and illusive. We are confronted by it, haunted by it, and confused about it. In some form or another it is as old as the sense of civilization that it threatens, but its manifestations can be as novel as the latest fashion in weaponry. In the wake of 11 September 2001 the technologically advanced Western states are sensitive to it as never before, but other parts of the world are wearily familiar with its ravages. Sri Lankans, Irish, English, South Africans, Palestinians, Israelis, Indonesians, have all lived with its constant strain. All of which makes it important to take a hard look at the moral and conceptual issues surrounding terrorism.
The essays in this book were written under the auspices of the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, University of Melbourne. Their authors are prominent Australian philosophers, political theorists, and legal scholars. The book was first published in English by Melbourne University Press, and has been translated into Croatian by Neven Petrović.