Failed States and the Origins of Violence: A Comparative Analysis of State Failure as a Root Cause of Terrorism and Political Violence

Description

What makes a terrorist? Is an individual inherently predisposed to be attracted to political violence or does exposure to a certain environment desensitize them in such a way that violence represents a viable mode for addressing political grievances? Identifying state failure as the impetus for political violence this book addresses these questions and focuses on why existing extremist groups find failed states so attractive. Utilizing global barometer data, Tiffiany Howard examines the underpinnings of individual support for political violence and argues that an insidious pattern of deprivation within failed states drives ordinary citizens to engage in and support extreme acts of political violence. A rigorous examination of four regions plagued by a combination of failed states and political violence-Sub Saharan Africa, The Middle East and North Africa, Southeast and South Asia, and Latin America-this text draws parallels to arrive at a single conclusion: that failed states are a natural breeding ground for terrorism and political violence. Contents List of Figures List of Tables Acknowledgements 1 Breeding Grounds: Failed States and the Origins of Terrorism and Political Violence 2 And They All Fall Down: The Pandemic of Political Violence and State Failure in sub-Saharan Africa 3 A Legacy of Tyranny, Tragedy and Terror: A Closer Look at Weak States, Authoritarian Rule, and Radical Religious Terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa 4 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon No More: The Emerging Crisis of Collapsed States and Extremist Terrorism in Southeast and South Asia 5 The Delayed Reign of the Latin King: Why Drug Lords, Rebels and Terrorism Will Forever Plague Latin America’s Frail States 6 Beyond Failed States: Reflecting on State Failure and the Origins of Violence and the Future Threat of Transnational Terrorism Bibliography Appendices Index