Since the mid-nineteenth century, terrorists have used symbolic acts of destruction-propaganda of the deed-in order to kick-start a revolution. Today, we have entered a new era where these acts have become spectacular, suicidal, and extremely lethal. Propaganda of the Dead: Terrorism and Revolution explores this relationship of terrorism to the concept of revolution and to the propaganda that accompanies it. Spectacular terrorist attacks such as those on September 11th in the United States cannot be fully understood without an in-depth analysis of the history of the intellectual evolution of terrorism, revolution, and propaganda and the relationship between the media and terrorism. Terrorists have made innovative use of the media to spread their propaganda and this symbiotic relationship between terrorism and media is explored. The thread of terrorist actions over the years, intertwined with increasing media coverage, is used to predict what our future may hold now that terrorists have become their own media generators.

Mark Reilly M.Phil., Ph.D., is a New York based web designer and developer, filmmaker, and teaches classes in digital compositing, filmmaking, and design at the New School, Columbia University, and New York University.