Inside Jihadism: Understanding Jihadi Movements Worldwide

Jihad is the most organized force against Western capitalism since the Soviet era. Yet jihadism is multifaceted and complex, much broader than Al-Quaeda alone. In the first wide-ranging introduction to today's rapidly growing jihadism, Khosrokhavar explains how two key movements variously influence jihadi activists. One, based in the Middle East, is more heavily influenced by Islamic religion and political thought. The other, composed of individuals growing up or living mostly in Europe and Western democracies including the United States, is motivated by secular as well as religious influences. Khosrokhavar interprets religious and lesser-known Arabic texts and the real world economic and political dynamics that make jihadism a growing threat to Western democracies. Interviews with imprisoned jihadists on what motivated their plots and actions help the readers understand reality as seen by jihadists. The author concludes with recommendations to safeguard democracies from future jihadism.

Farhad Khosrokhavar is Professor at the cole des Hautes tudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris and author of fourteen books translated into ten languages. Khosrokhavar continues his travels and work on Islam, Muslim radicalization, and postrevolutionary Iranian society. His most recent books in English include Suicide Bombers: Allah's New Martyrs (2005).