Jihad in the West: The Rise of Militant Salafism

Militant Salafism is one of the most significant movements in politics today. Unfortunately its significance has not been matched by understanding. To begin to address this knowledge deficit this book argues that, rather than the largely unhelpful pursuit of individual 'root causes' offered in much of the literature, we would be better served by looking at the factors that have enabled and facilitated a particular political imagery. That political imagery is one that allows individuals to conceive of themselves as integral members of a global battle waged between the forces of Islam and the West, something that lies at the heart of militant Salafism. Frazer Egerton shows how the ubiquity of modern media and the prevalence of movement have allowed for a transformation of existing beliefs into an ideology supportive of militant Salafism against the West amongst Western Muslims.

• Explains why movement and media are crucial to the rise of Al Qaeda-influenced groups
• Utilises the theoretical insights of leading social theorists - such as Giddens, Harvey and Appadurai
• Critiques and suggests alternatives to many existing approaches in terrorism studies

Book Description

Jihad in the West addresses the rise of Al Qaeda-influenced movements in the West. In particular it argues that geographical displacement and the ubiquity of electronic media have facilitated the emergence of global ideological movements including militant Salafism.