The War against al-Qaeda: Religion, Policy, and Counter-narratives

by Nahed Artoul Zehr, Nahed Artoul Zehr (Contribution by)

Overview

In this original and provocative book, Nahed Artoul Zehr explores the theological underpinnings of al-Qaeda and related Islamic movements such as ISIS. She demonstrates how this marginal narrative transformed al-Qaeda from a relatively hierarchical and regional organization to a globalized, decentralized, and diffuse system of networks.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626164277
Publisher:	Georgetown University Press
Publication date:	05/03/2017
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Nahed Artoul Zehr is the executive director of the Faith & Culture Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Previously she was assistant professor of Islam andReligious Studies at Western Kentucky University, where she taught courseson Islam, the Qur-an, comparative religious ethics, and religion and violence. In 2011–2012 she was Minerva Research Chair at the United States Naval War College.

Table of Contents

Notes on Terms and Translations

Introduction: A Different Kind of War

1. Foundations: A Just War Analysis of the War against al-Qaeda

2. Traditions: The Moral Constrains of War in Islam

3. Narratives: Al-Qaeda's Dual Nature

4. Tactics: Al-Suri and al-Qaeda's Model of War

5. Counter-narratives: Moderate Muslim Voices and a Debate within the Tradition

Conclusion: Operationalizing Counter-narratives in the War against al-Qaeda

Selected BibliographyIndexAbout the Author

What People are Saying About This

James Turner Johnson

Everyone interested in radical Islamic jihadism should welcome this book, which stands out for its coverage of figures, perspectives, and topics not treated elsewhere. Zehr follows the al-Qaeda phenomenon from its foundations to the birth of its offspring ISIS/ISIL, concluding with a chapter on “counter-narratives” to the Islamic State movement’s jihadist propaganda.

Scott Davis

Nahed Zehr’s The War against al-Qaeda brings the story of our conflict with “the al-Qaeda movement” up to the minute. It is a dazzling work of synthesis that illuminates the complexities of the rhetoric on all sides.

Editorial Reviews

This is an interesting and informed discussion of the need by the United States and its allies to complementthe military campaign to counter Islamist groups, such as al Qaida, with an effective theology-based counternarratives approach.

Perspectives on Terrorism

Everyone interested in radical Islamic jihadism should welcome this book, which stands out for its coverage of figures, perspectives, and topics not treated elsewhere. Zehr follows the al-Qaeda phenomenon from its foundations to the birth of its offspring ISIS/ISIL, concluding with a chapter on “counter-narratives” to the Islamic State movement’s jihadist propaganda.

James Turner Johnson

Nahed Zehr’s The War against al-Qaeda brings the story of our conflict with “the al-Qaeda movement” up to the minute. It is a dazzling work of synthesis that illuminates the complexities of the rhetoric on all sides.

Scott Davis

"Everyone interested in radical Islamic jihadism should welcome this book, which stands out for its coverage of figures, perspectives, and topics not treated elsewhere. Zehr follows the al-Qaeda phenomenon from its foundations to the birth of its offspring ISIS/ISIL, concluding with a chapter on "counter-narratives" to the Islamic State movement's jihadist propaganda." — James Turner Johnson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University

"Nahed Zehr's The War against al-Qaeda brings the story of our conflict with "the al-Qaeda movement" up to the minute. It is a dazzling work of synthesis that illuminates the complexities of the rhetoric on all sides." — Scott Davis, Lewis T. Booker Professor of Religion and Ethics, University of Richmond

From the Publisher

This deceptively simple book wallows in rich layers of cultural analysis and it ought to be a standard textbook in culture studies, military science, and international relations courses.... The War against Al Qaeda: Religion, Policy, and Counter-narratives [is] one of the more thorough, inclusive, and balanced scholarly treatments of this topic in at least a decade.

Terrorism and Political Violence