Herman Edward S., O'Sullivan Gerry. The Terrorism Industry: The Experts and Institutions That Shape Our View of Terror

Pantheon Books, 1990. — 334 p.What is a terrorist act? The authors argue that experts on the subject hold imperialist views biased in favor of the status quo or government perspectives. The biases are largely a product of the “terrorism industry” that has grown up in response to government funding, which includes networks of government agencies, think tanks, and private security firms. The mass media also have a big role in promoting terrorist stereotypes, often missing a balanced perspective on a “terrorist” act. The authors also discuss the historical uses of stereotyping threatening groups.