From the terrorists' point of view : what they experience and why they come to destroy

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Title:

From the terrorists' point of view : what they experience and why they come to destroy

Author:

Moghaddam, Fathali M.

ISBN:

9780275988258

Personal Author:

Moghaddam, Fathali M.

Publication Information:

Westport, Conn. : Praeger Security International, 2006.

Physical Description:

xiv, 173 p. ; 24 cm.

General Note:

Formerly CIP.

Contents:

Why consider the terrorists' point of view? -- Identity needs and globalization -- The staircase to terrorism -- Ground floor : growing dissatisfaction among the multitudes -- First floor : how do we fight this unfair system? -- Second floor : those Americans are to blame! -- Third floor : the ends justify the means -- Fourth floor : it's us against them -- Fifth floor : this "heroic" act will improve the world -- Contextualized democracy as a solution to terrorism.

Abstract:

"An Iranian-born professor at Georgetown explains the identity crisis occurring in Islamic societies and, using a staircase metaphor, helps us undertand those that give rise to terrorism, as well as why policies focused on wiping out individual terrorists will bring only short-term results."--BOOK JACKET.

Subject Term:

Terrorism -- United States -- Prevention.

Islamic fundamentalism -- United States.

Terrorism -- Religious aspects -- Islam.

Islam and politics -- United States.

Terrorism -- Psychological aspects.

Electronic Access:

Table of contents only http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/fy0702/2006015400.html

Copies:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Copy	Status
Searching... 1:IIEMSA	1:GEN-BOOK	33168023674522	363.325 M696F 2006	1	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Presenting a picture of the world giving rise to Islamic terrorism, From the Terrorists' Point of View argues that terrorism arises from a deep and pervasive identity crisis in Islamic societies. The account presented in these 10 chapters is shaped by the author's first-hand experiences of life in the Islamic world, as well as his more than quarter-century of research on the psychology of conflict and radicalism. Moghaddam shows us why individuals who are recruited into terrorist organizations are convinced it is the only viable alternative. They believe there are no effective legal means of expressing their grievances and participating in decision making, so they become socialized to see terrorist organizations as legitimate. The organizations they join train them to adopt an us vs. them categorical view, seeing all members outside their group, including civilians, as among the evil enemy ranks.

Looking at the perspective of the terrorist groups themselves, Moghaddam explains why current U.S. policy, focusing almost exclusively on individual terrorists and their eradication, will achieve only short-term gains. He argues that the more effective long-term policy against terrorism is prevention. That, he writes, requires cultivation and nourishment of contextualized democracy through culturally appropriate avenues. Only allowing people a greater voice and creating mobility opportunities for them will ensure that they do not feel a need to climb the staircase to terrorism.