2nd Edition

Jihadi Terrorism and the Radicalisation Challenge European and American Experiences

Edited By Rik Coolsaet Copyright 2012
    340 Pages
    by Routledge

    340 Pages
    by Routledge

    Osama bin Laden's demise in May 2011 marked only the symbolic end of an era. By the time of his killing, he no longer represented the Robin Hood icon that once stirred global fascination. Ten years after the 11 September 2001 attacks, jihadi terrorism has largely lost its juggernaut luster. It now mostly resembles a patchwork of self-radicalising local groups with international contacts but without any central organisational design - akin to the radical left terrorism of the 1970s and the anarchist fin-de-siècle terrorism. This volume addresses two issues that remain largely unexplored in contemporary terrorism studies. It rehabilitates the historical and comparative analysis as a way to grasp the essence of terrorism, including its jihadi strand. Crucial similarities with earlier forms of radicalisation and terrorism abound and differences appear generally not fundamental. Likewise, the very concept of radicalisation is seldom questioned anymore. Nevertheless it often lacks conceptual clarity and empirical validation. Once considered a quintessential European phenomenon, the United States too experiences how some of its own citizens radicalise into terrorist violence. This collective work compares radicalisation in both continents and the strategies aimed at de-radicalisation. But it also assesses if the concept merits its reputation as the holy grail of terrorism studies. The volume is aimed at an audience of decision makers, law enforcement officials, academia and think tanks, by its combination of novel thinking, practical experience and a theoretical approach.

    Introduction, Rik Coolsaet; Part I The State of the Threat; Chapter 1 Jihadi Terrorism: A Global Assessment of the Threat, Paul R. Pillar; Chapter 2 Al-Qaeda: A True Global Movement, Olivier Roy; Chapter 3 Logics of Jihadi Violence in North Africa, Hugh Roberts; Chapter 4 ‘Terrorism Studies’: A Critical Appraisal, Teun Van de Voorde; Part II Cycles of Terrorism and Radicalisation; Chapter 5 The Debate Over ‘Old’ vs ‘New’ Terrorism, Martha Crenshaw; Chapter 6 Radicalisation and Terrorism in History: Lessons from the Radical Left Terrorist Campaigns in Europe and the United States, Leena Malkki; Chapter 7 Cycles of Revolutionary Terrorism, Rik Coolsaet; Part III Radicalisation in Europe and the US; Chapter 8 Muslims in Europe and the US: A Shared but Overrated Risk of Radicalism, Jocelyne Cesari; Chapter 9 The Turn to Political Violence in the West, Marc Sageman; Chapter 10 Characteristics of Jihadi Terrorists in Europe (2001–2009), Edwin Bakker; Chapter 11 Dutch Extremist Islamism: Van Gogh’s Murderer and his Ideas, Rudolph Peters; Chapter 12 The Rise and Demise of Jihadi Terrorism in Belgium, Rik Coolsaet; Part IV De-radicalisation Experiences; Chapter 13 Disengagement, De-radicalization and the Arc of Terrorism: Future Directions for Research, John Horgan, Max Taylor; Chapter 14 Group Desistance from Terrorism: The Dynamics of Actors, Actions and Outcomes, Clark McCauley; Chapter 15 (De-)Escalating Radicalisation: The Debate within Immigrant Communities in Europe, Tarik Fraihi; Chapter 16 Competing Counter-radicalisation Models in the UK, Robert Lambert; Chapter 17 Counterterrorism and Counter-radicalisation in Europe: How Much Unity in Diversity?, Rik Coolsaet; Chapter 18 Counter-radicalization in the United States, Lorenzo Vidino; epilogue Epilogue, Rik Coolsaet;

    Biography

    Rik Coolsaet is Chair at the Department of Political Science, Ghent University, Ghent University, Belgium

    'Through its systematic engagement with a variety of ideas and cases, this collection of important work provides a central point of focus for scholars and practitioners seeking to engage with the questions and debates surrounding radicalisation and jihadi violence. Jihadi Terrorism and the Radicalisation Challenge represents the capstone to the current phase of research on this subject, and essential reading for all in this field.' Jonathan Githens-Mazer, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, UK 'In the literature on Jihadism, Rik Coolsaet's contribution as the editor of the book Jihadi Terrorism and the Radicalization Challenge: European and American Experiences stands apart. Many outstanding scholars took part in its writing and they brought in new ideas not only on Jihadism and radicalization but also on the de-radicalization process and its intricacies. By reading this single book, one can surmise having read tens, the rich contribution of the scholars making almost each chapter unique. At the end, one comes out with a much deeper understanding of Jihadism. Farhad Khosrokhavar, École des hautes études en sciences sociales, France ’Coolsaet’s volume puts the idea of ’root causes’ of terrorism - once rejected by many US commentators as inappropriate in al-Qaeda’s case - back on centre stage.’ New Zealand International Review 'This book is essential for officials involved in identifying and profiling the scope and nature of any jihadi terror threat. It is a compendium of academic research and the experience of hands-on counter-terrorism experts, such as Robert Lambert of the UK, with his innovative ideas such as the establishment of Muslim contact units in London - a critical tool for de-radicalisation and deconstruction of jihadi propaganda... Many of the research papers in this book are empirical studies, backed by considerable research data. One of the key features is how to establish and run a de-radicalisation unit, whi