TAMIU, George Mason University, Sam Houston University Professors Release New Book on Terrorism Studies
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Dr. Huseyin Cinoglu has co-authored a new book that provides a systematic approach for comparing terrorist groups through the lenses of ideology, organization and operations.
Titled "Typologies of Terorrist Organizations," and published by Carolina Academic Press, the book was written to fill a gap in academic resources, offering a clear guide for students, policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and professionals.
Co-authors include Dr. Mahmut Cengiz, associate professor at the Terrorism, Transnational Crime, Corruption Center and the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, and Dr. Mitchel Roth, professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Sam Houston State University.
Cinoglu said the book grew out of a need for a clear, structured approach to studying and comparing terrorist groups.
"Plenty of books offer deep dives into single groups or broad theories of terrorism, yet hardly any lay out a clear road map for comparing groups side by side," Cinoglu said, "In class, in our research, even when talking with law-enforcement partners, we found ourselves wishing we had a shared set of categories. Without that structure, people either cast the net too wide or miss key details."
The authors wrote the book in two years, with the goal of creating a volume that speaks to several crowds at once, Cinoglu said.
"It digs deep enough for scholars and students from first year undergrad up to doctoral seminars," he said, "At the same time, it is written so that policymakers and law‑enforcement professionals can grab it, flip to a chapter, and put the framework to work on real cases. Bridging those two worlds was the main goal."
The book explores terrorist groups through three categories: ideology, organization, and operations, Cinoglu said.
"Most earlier typologies focus only on ideology, religious, nationalist, left‑wing, and so on. Useful, yes, but it misses how groups are built and how they fight," he said, "Our model adds organization and operations, giving each group a three‑dimensional profile. That picture is closer to reality and far more actionable."
He added, "For students, the framework makes the chaos easier to follow. For policymakers or agents and officers on the ground, it fine-tunes the tools they already use and helps match a strategy to the exact kind of group they face."
Typologies presented in the book add crucial relevancy to real-world counterterrorism work, Cinoglu added.
As an example, he mentioned ISIS, which is discussed in the book.
"We show how it operated as a local insurgency while also running a global media machine," he said, "That double life proves why you need several lenses at once. Another case examines how Iran uses proxy groups. That falls under a different typology and demands very different countermeasures. Each example walks readers through how the framework translates into practice."
Understanding the type of terrorist group examined lets readers ditch one‑size‑fits‑all thinking, Cinoglu said.
"A tight hierarchical group backed by a state needs a different approach than a loose online network," he said, "Whether you are tracing money, countering propaganda, or breaking up cells, the playbook shifts. Our typologies lay out a clear map for matching each tactic to the right target."
Publishing the book gave authors a terrific feeling, Cinoglu said.
"After two years of writing, editing, and late‑night debates, holding the finished copy and hearing good feedback makes the effort worth it," he said, "We hope it becomes a go‑to reference in terrorism studies and a handy field guide for shaping smarter, better‑targeted policies."
At TAMIU, Cinoglu teaches and specializes in research on homeland security, terrorism, and radicalization. In this new book, he authored five chapters on challenging cases including Salafi Jihadist groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS, religious nationalist groups such as the Taliban and Hamas, Shia organizations influenced by Iran, faith‑based violence across Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and Jewish movements, and state terrorism. He previously co‑authored "Terörün Sosyal Psikolojisi" (The Social Psychology of Terrorism), a book widely used in Turkey.
Dr. Cengiz is the author of several books and policy reports, and his columns for Homeland Security Today bring research into everyday policy debates.
Dr. Roth, a full professor at Sam Houston State University, is a historian of crime and justice. With more than 20 books on policing, organized crime, prison gangs, and mass murder, he adds a long‑range historical context that ties terrorism to bigger crime patterns.
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Dr. Mahmut Cengiz
Dr. Mitchel Roth
