Many years after 9/11 there are still not adequate
means to categorize groups like Al Qaeda, home-grown
cells and others that claim to be perpetrating and
justifying terrorist acts under the banner of jihad.
This book proposes that 'neojihadism' is a new form of
political organization, global subculture,
counterculture and theological understanding, with an
approach to political violence that is unique to the
post-Cold War period. What these groups espouse and
enact differs radically from totalitarianism, cults,
jihad - and even jihadism. Pete Lentini takes an
interdisciplinary approach that fuses comparative
politics, comparative theology, subcultural studies,
Islamic studies, and the sociology of religion. It cites
examples from global (Al Qaeda), regional (Jemaah
Islamiyah) and nationally based (Chechen and Australian)
groups to illustrate the diversity within the movement.
Additionally, it draws from primary materials - some of
which is translated from Arabic - to help to test the
extent to which the term neojihadism is a significant
political, theological, and military departure from
previous Islamist group experiences. This fascinating
book will be invaluable for academics including
postgraduate and Masters' students of terrorism studies,
political science, international relations, comparative
religion, and Islamic studies.
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