Directions in International Terrorism: Theories, Trends and Trajectories

Description

This book examines novel and nonmainstream aspects of international terrorism in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. It explores issues that are not really explored in the mainstream literature such as the environmental message of terror groups, the issue of female jihadists and the social media strategy of terror groups. Whilst old issues remain and deserves a dissident perspective, like the Iran nuclear deal, newer issues like the impact of the Abrahamic Accord on the Middle East comes to the fore. At the same time, policy-makers need to be bold in responding to terror threat, including pooling sovereignty when confronting a truly global threat. Taken together this study reflects the most up to date volume on recent development in terrorism globally. Foreword Contents Notes on Contributors List of Figures List of Tables 1 Introduction 2 Beyond Disciplinary Dogma: An Ontological Security Approach to Terrorism and Its Study 2.1 Introduction 2.2 The Nature of Terrorism: Ontological Questions and Definitional Dilemmas 2.3 Theorising Terrorism: Epistemological Debates and Theoretical Shortcomings 2.4 The Illusion of Control and Certainty: Ontological Security Theory 2.5 Concluding Remarks: Future Directions for Terrorism Research References 3 Exploring the Confluence Between Terrorism and Identity in Africa 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Critical Theory, Critical Terrorism Studies, and Traditional Terrorism Studies 3.3 State Repression, State Induced Poverty, and the Growth of Domestic Terrorism 3.4 Building Domestic Terrorism Through Fuelled Rivalries and Misrepresented Local Narratives 3.5 The Centuries Old Jihad Factor 3.6 CTS and the Case of Somalia’s Al Shabaab 3.7 The Nigerian State and the Facilitation of Domestic Terrorism 3.8 Senegal, in the Eye of West Africa’s Terrorism Storm 3.9 Concluding Insights 4 Updating Africa: Tweeting Terrorism 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Varying Forms of Media 4.3 The African Audience 4.4 Terrorists Using the Media 4.5 Internet and Media Warfare 4.6 Al Shabaab’s Media Usage 4.7 The Influence of Terrorists’ Media Usage 4.8 Conclusion 5 The Environmental Message of Radical Islamic and Terrorist Groups 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Blaming the West for the Current Environmental Crisis 5.3 Launching Environmental Policies and Campaigns 5.4 Using the Environment as a Major Source of Income 5.5 The Use of Climate Change Effects and Environmental Scarcity for Recruitment Purposes 5.6 Using the Environment as a Weapon 5.7 Launching Attacks Against Energy Infrastructures 5.8 Summary References 6 Terror, Rebellion and Insurgency: Its Impact on Conservation in Africa 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Background to the Conflict Ivory Narrative 6.2.1 Links to Terrorism in East Africa 6.2.2 Links in West Africa 6.2.3 This Study 6.3 The Exploitation of Nature in Supporting Terrorism 6.3.1 Allied Democratic Forces/National Army for the Liberation of Uganda 6.3.2 Forces Démocratiques De Libération Du Rwanda 6.3.3 Mai Mai 6.3.4 Lord’s Resistance Army 6.3.5 Janjaweed 6.3.6 Anti-Balaka and Seleka 6.4 Discussion 6.4.1 Ivory Forms a Small, but not Insignificant Part, of Terror Funding in Elephant Range States 6.4.2 Protected Areas Provide Unique Benefits to Armed Groups Unrelated to Wildlife Trafficking 6.4.3 Conservation Law Enforcement Agencies Often Lack the Mandate, Resources, and Capabilities to Effectively Control the Environmental Crimes of Armed Groups 6.5 Conclusion 7 Burning the Broth: Why African Counter-Terrorist Operations Frequently Fail 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Defining the Indefinable 7.3 Causes and Consequences 7.4 Knowing and Understanding the Terrain… 7.5 Not Knowing the Enemy… 7.6 Underestimating the Threat 7.7 Identifying the Ingredients 7.8 Know and Understand the Ingredients of Fourth Generation Warfare 7.9 Why Have Anti-Government Forces and Terrorist Movements Been Successful? 7.10 Burning the Broth: Building Structures on Shaky Foundations 7.11 Adding More Unpalatable Ingredients: Irrelevant Training, Poor Advice, Little assistance—and Questionable Means and Ways 7.12 Conclusion 8 Peacekeeping in Africa While Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Defining Peacekeeping and Other Important Concepts 8.3 United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in Africa 8.4 Troop Contributions 8.5 African Union Missions 8.6 AMISOM 8.7 Peacekeeping in the Broader Counterterrorism and the Prevention and Combating of Violent Extremism Debate 8.8 Future of Peacekeeping Operations in Africa 8.9 Enhancing the Success of Future Peacekeeping Missions in Africa 8.10 Conclusion 9 Social Attitudes Fuelling Islamist Terrorism 9.1 Introduction 9.2 The Landscape We Are Facing 9.3 Methods and Data for Our Multivariate Analysis of Terror Support 9.4  >160.000 Victims from Islamist Terrorism in Four Decades 9.5 The Shari’a State 9.6 What Drives People into Terrorism? The Empirical Cross-National Results 9.7 Prospects and Conclusions Literature 10 Iran, the Bomb and the Spectre of (Nuclear) Terror 10.1 Introduction 10.2 An Iranian Bomb: History and Primary Drivers 10.3 Terrorism and Proxy Wars 10.4 State Transfer of Nuclear Weapons 10.5 The Spectre of Nuclear Terror 10.6 Implications for the Non-Proliferation Regime 10.7 Conclusion 11 The Abraham Accords: From Extremist Politics to Diplomacy 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Definitions 11.3 The New Order Against Terror 11.4 A States Place and Status Under the Sun 11.5 Wither and Dither the Palestinian Question 11.6 Waging Diplomacy 11.7 The Small Print of the Abraham Accords 11.8 Conclusion 12 A Comparison of European Female Jihadists 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Background 12.3 Italy 12.4 France 12.5 United Kingdom 12.6 Sweden 12.7 Conclusions 13 Islamist Terrorism, Political Islam and Migration in Western Europe 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Background 13.3 Methodology and Data 13.4 The Cycle of Islamist Terrorism in Western Europe 13.5 Migration Potential from the Arab World to Western Europe and Islamist Attitudes Among the Migrants—Data from the Arab Barometer 13.6 Towards a Multivariate Analysis 13.7 Conclusions and Prospects Appendix: Islamist Terrorism, Political Islam and Migration in Western Europe References 14 Conclusion Index