In the Name of Terrorism: Presidents on Political Violence in the Post-world War II Era

I teach university courses on war, media, and rhetoric at undergraduate and graduate levels. This book has gotten rave reviews in both and generated tons of productive discussion. In my opinion, it has not yet received the recognition it deserves. Winkler traces the presidential use of "terrorism" from the Vietnam War to the present with great skill, highlighting its instability and continual mutation. The best part of this book is the archival work that went into it. Winkler gives invaluable glimpses into the bowels of the White House PR apparatus as it wrangles over public terminology. The result is a compelling inside view of presidential rhetoric, not simply an external reading of it. The final chapter is especially fascinating as it uses State Dept. statistics to upend a number of myths about "terrorism." Though this is foremost an academic book, it is written in a very accessible style. My undergraduates find it to be a page-turner, and those who study this kind of thing will find it rigorous and demanding - a singular critical text for understanding the history of the present moment.