by Karina Brady, Student Public Relations Writer
Glen Duerr, associate professor of international studies at Cedarville University, has become a well-known source for media and those wanting to understand international and domestic terrorism. But for Duerr, the subject is more than academic — it’s personal.
Duerr’s new book, “Secessionism and Terrorism,” is slated for release July 30. It can be purchased at the publisher's website, routledge.com or on Amazon.
During Duerr’s childhood, his family lived and worked near London, England, where terrorist attacks disrupted his family’s life. He mentions several of these instances in the introduction to his book.
“My father, Michael Duerr, was working in his office at Teleglobe in central London (Stag Place by Victoria Station), just a few hundred yards away from 10 Downing Street at the time of the attack, and heard the mortars detonate,” he wrote. “These attacks, and the discussions at the dinner table, resulted in a lifelong quest to consider what happened, and to gain greater insight on the root causes of terrorism.”
Duerr authored three chapters and edited the entire manuscript. Colleagues — both experienced and emerging scholars — from Europe and North America wrote the other six chapters. Many of Duerr’s students have also been a part of this collaborative writing effort.
“Terrorism and secessionism are in the news a lot,” said Duerr. “Wherever there are people in the world where one group has power and the other does not, there is a threat of this type of violence. This is something that could crop up in a lot of different parts of the world. I want to contribute something that is part history and part preparing individuals for the future.”
“Secessionism and Terrorism” provides a historical overview of terrorism and helps readers examine terrorist organizations using six specific case studies across Europe and Eurasia.
“I would like to give my readers a greater understanding of terrorism today. In the news, we tend to hear only about ISIS or groups in the Middle East, but it’s much broader than that. There is a history behind it,” said Duerr. “My book prepares students to think more broadly and critically about the way things will change in the future, so they won’t be caught off guard.”
Duerr is also the author of “Secessionism and the European Union,” published in 2015. He is currently preparing his next manuscript, “Patriotism and the Cross: A Theology of Nationalism.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,963 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.