Critical Perspectives on Terrorism

Critical Perspectives on Terrorism provides an examination of the socio-political phenomenon of terrorism at three different interdisciplinary levels. Filling an important gap in the literature, this book covers the theoretical treatment of modern religious and political violence by analyzing three of the key theses regarding the explanations for the rise of terrorist activity in a 'globalised' world. The first section takes a critical look at the 'clash of civilisations' thesis as it pertains to global terrorism. Huntington's thesis has, since it's appearance on the post-Cold War stage, remained one of the most oft-quoted 'truth-claims' about religious and political conflict. The authors offer a rarely-seen critique of this truth-claim. Section 2 examines terrorism through the lens of a number of social and political theorists including Zygmunt Bauman's 'liquid modernity' thesis and attempts to determine the relevance of postmodern social and political theories in regards to global terrorism. The authors examine the possibility of the changing nature of terrorism due to the newly mobile, or 'liquid', global state of affairs. The final section looks at the issue of 'radicalisation' as both process and idea in regard to global terrorism. The authors examine the various 'cause and effect' assumptions surrounding the creation and construction of a terrorist socio-political position.