The Making of a Homegrown Terrorist: Brainwashing Rebels in Search of a Cause

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

What are the factors that lead some individuals to become terrorists In this book, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst examines case histories of terrorism and reveals how radicalized youths living next door can become dangerous homegrown terrorists. Religious zeal and passionate dogma can be powerful motivators for homegrown recruits of terrorist organizations. In this book, Peter A. Olsson, MD, applies his years of work with disordered personalities to the psychological understanding of why seemingly ordinary Americans turn into murderers of their countrymen. He identifies the psychodynamic patterns of the lives of those who become "homegrown terrorists" and commit acts of cold-blooded murder, examining 20 detailed case histories of individualsoften youths or young adultsto provide theoretical and practical understandings. The book focuses on individuals that include Timothy McVeigh; Ted Kaczynski, a.k.a. "The Unabomber"; the "Shoe-Bomber" Richard Reid; Colleen LaRose, a.k.a. "Jihad Jane"; Nidal Malik Hasan, an American-born, former U.S. Army officer who opened fire on American troops at Fort Hood, Killeen, TX, killing 13 and injuring more than 30; and Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tzarnaev, the two brothers charged with placing pressure cooker bombs at the finish line area of the 2013 Boston Marathon. It also delves into topics such as distinguishing between "good charisma" in a youth versus "evil charisma" and recognizing the characteristics of a healthy group or leader versus those with unhealthy motivationssubject matter that will be of interest and importance to anyone from concerned citizens and parents to teachers and terrorism specialists.

Reviews

Olsson, a retired psychiatrist and psychoanalyst with 37 years of experience, deciphers the complexities of these mass murder-minded killers. He structures his enlightening book with a broad enough scope, written in clear terms, to be mind-opening. * The Keene Sentinel *
It is a highly insightful analysis. * Perspectives on Terrorism *
This very scholarly, easy to read, and outstanding book should be required reading in colleges and certainly is a basic and significant text for psychoanalysts seeking to understand terrorism. I highly recommend it. * Psychodynamic Psychiatry *

Author Bio

Peter A. Olsson, MD, is a retired psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who practiced and taught psychiatry, psychotherapy, and psychoanalysis in Houston, Texas, for 25 years and in New Hampshire for 12 years.