Global jihadism has been on policy agendas for more than two decades. Recent years have seen an increasing policy focus on countering the ideologies of al-Qaeda and of regional or local militant groups, often lumping them together under the rubric of a single 'global jihadi ideology'. Despite this, studies of jihadi ideas are at a relatively early stage and have yet to fully capture the richness of their wide-ranging social contexts and intellectual universes. This volume aims to address this lacuna at a time when wider currents of jihadi ideology seem poised to eclipse the long-term impacts of the decade-long global 'war of ideas' focused on al-Qaeda. Contextualising Jihadi Thought aims to transcend the dominance of security-studies approaches in the study of militant groups by creating a broader framework for understanding the varied intellectual histories, political engagements and geographies of jihadi ideas. Contributions to the volume span a range of academic disciplines and areas of policy research including history, anthropology, political science, religious studies and area studies. Challenging prevailing policy understandings of a single jihadi ideological narrative, the book's chapters study militant currents of thought and the responses to them in Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, India, Pakistan, Egypt, South-East Asia and Europe as well as the global contexts within which transnational jihadism has been developed and propagated.

Countering militant jihadism is a central policy concern worldwide, yet few studies capture the richness of this social and intellectual phenomenon. Departing from traditional methods of security studes, this volume launches an innovative approach to understanding jihadism, combining a number of disciplines and research areas while remaining sensitive to ethnographic considerations. It introduces a framework for conceptualizing jihadi movements, primarily through the study of ideology, geography, intellectual history, and political engagement. The essays in this collection also trace currents of jihadi thought and the response to them by the peoples and governments of Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Edited by a scholar and an experienced diplomat, this volume maintains a balance between theory and practice unparalleled in other studies of this issue., reviewing a previous edition or volume

The study of Jihadi ideology is still in an early stage. The contributions of this volume contribute to this field: Ideologues of Jihad, Maoists turned Jihadists, a theory of framing of Jihadi ideas, the analysis of Jihadi masculinities and of Jihadi role models presented in obline videos will further our understanding of Jihadi ideas and ideologies by exploring underresearched aspects of Jihadi ideology and theology. Dschihadistische Ideologien sind noch nicht ausreichend untersucht. Die Beiträge in diesem Band tragen zu einem vertieften Verständnis bei. Mit dschihadistischen Ideologen, zu Dschihadisten gewordene Maoisten, einem theoretischen Ansatz zur Analyse dschihadistischen Denkens, eine Untersuchung dschihadistischer Männlichkeitsvorstellungen und dschihadistische role models in Onlinevideos ermöglichen Einblicke in sonst wenig bekannte Phänomene.

Leading scholars discuss how 'Islam' and 'liberalism' have been entwined historically and politically and how Muslims have thought about this longstanding relationship.

The term 'jihad' has come to be used as a byword for fanaticism and Islam's allegedly implacable hostility towards the West. But, like other religious and political concepts, jihad has multiple resonances and associations, its meaning shifting over time and from place to place. Jihad has referred to movements of internal reform, spiritual struggle and self-defence as much as to 'holy war'. And among Muslim intellectuals, the meaning and significance of jihad remain subject to debate and controversy. With this in mind, Twenty-First Century Jihad examines the ways in which the concept of jihad has changed, from its roots in the Quran to its usage in current debate. This book explores familiar modern political angles, and touches on far less commonly analysed instances of jihad, incorporating issues of law, society, literature and military action. As this key concept is ever-more important for international politics and security studies, Twenty-First Century Jihad contains vital analysis for those researching the role of religion in the modern world.

A quarterly magazine of ideas and issues showcasing ground breaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world.

This book explores Pakistan from different vantage points. It examines a variety of events in contemporary Pakistan through a comprehensive analysis of identity and power politics; media landscapes; military recruitment; role of madrassahs; terrorism and militancy; civil war as well as outlines future trajectories. It studies themes such as Pakistan’s relationship with India, the legacy of Jinnah, gender and fundamentalism, urbanisation, unrest that have plagued the northern areas. It further looks at the nation after the capture of Osama bin Laden and the changing nature of its relation with the US in its aftermath. Including contributions from experts in the field and policy-makers across the world, this volume will interest scholars and researchers on Pakistan studies, politics, and international relations. It will also appeal to government think tanks and the general reader.