The attack of September 11 not only increased our sense of vulnerability. They also generated massive efforts to enhance our security in a suddenly more dangerous world. Scholars and policy makers in every field have been enlisted in the cause, and the U.S. government is creating a massive new agency, the Department of Homeland Security, to tackle just this issue. The global nature of the threat-in terms of both terrorist bases and potential sites of attack-means that geography will play a crucial role, and the tools that geographers possess will be crucial to policy makers in the coming years. The Geographical Dimensions of Terrorism gathers the nation's leading geographers together to consider terrorism in all its guises-bioterrorism, urban terrorism, strikes on economic targets, and attacks on food and water supplies. It features the sophisticated mapping and locational tracking systems used by geographers in resisting attacks and mitigating the consequences of successful strikes. The contributors also offer social and political analyses about why terrorism develops in certain places and how terrorists are able to mobilize across vast stretches of space. Concluding with an agenda for the execution of more effective security measures, The Geographical Dimensions of Terrorism is essential reading for everyone involved in combating and solving the most pressing issue of our time.

Chapter 1 The Changing Landscape of Fear
Chapter 2 Societal Responses to Threats
Chapter 3 Understanding the Root Causes of Terrorism
Chapter 4 Geospatial Data and Technologies in Times of Crises
Chapter 5 Vulnerability of Lifelines, the Built Environment, and People 
Chapter 6 Bioterrorism
Chapter 7 Building a Safer but Open Society
Chapter 8 A Research and Action Agenda Epilogue