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 imaginary. That political imaginary 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.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; 1. Mad Mullah or freedom fighter? What is a militant Salafist?; 2. What is wrong with these people?; 3. Taking us everywhere: the role of the political imaginary; 4. (Hyper)media and the construction of the militant community; 5. Movement: from actual to ideological; 6. Why me? The role of broader narratives and intermediaries; Conclusion.

About the Author :
Frazer Egerton earned his Ph.D. in International Politics from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. He is currently a Research Fellow in the Centre for Foreign Policy Studies at Dalhousie University, Canada.

Review :
'This book is a must read if you want to understand why moderately religious, generally apolitical young men in some Western cities turn into fighters - mujahideen - identifying with others across the world in a politico-religious struggle. Frazer Egerton does not offer a simple account of this transition, but it is a persuasive one.' Ken Booth, Aberystwyth University 'Frazer Egerton's Jihad in the West: The Rise of Militant Salafism is the most comprehensive study on the enduring extremist and terrorist threat facing the western world. As ideological extremism is the parent of terrorism, this book is essential reading for both policy and decisionmakers.' Rohan Gunaratna, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and author of Inside al Qaeda: Global Network of Terror 'Frazer Egerton has written an important book about the political imaginary of militant Salafism and its dynamic interplay in different contexts which explains why this al-Qaeda inspired ideology has such widespread appeal at home and abroad. With razorsharp analysis, this is a must read for all those seeking a deeper insight into the complex, polymorphus and evolving al-Qaeda phenomena.' Magnus Ranstorp, Research Director, Center for Asymmetric Threat Studies, Swedish National Defence College 'One of the clearest, most critical and rigorous analyses of militant Salafism in the West, Frazer Egerton makes a powerful contribution to our efforts at understanding the complex dynamics that shape and sustain those for whom simply holding radical views is not enough. This remarkable book is essential reading for scholars of terrorism as well as those tasked with responding to it.' John Horgan, Director, International Center for the Study of Terrorism, Pennsylvania State University 'In each chapter, Egerton is assiduous in citing academia and providing case-studies from the panoply of Islamist terror cells that have troubled the West.' Raffaello Pantucci, International Affairs 'Frazer Egerton's Jihad in the West: The Rise of Militant Salafism is one of the most intelligent and articulate contributions to the study of terrorism and political violence in recent years. It stands out as an original conceptual contribution to a burgeoning literature on an aspect of political violence most frequently characterised by high-profile terrorist attacks carried out in New York and Washington, Madrid and London … It is safe to say that Egerton's fresh and original analysis has provided a basis on which we can better conceptualise responses to the question and a very sound platform from which to improve future research in this arena. As such, this is a book that should be essential reading for academics, researchers and students in terrorism studies, as well as practitioners and policymakers concerned with counterterrorism.' Robert Lambert, Critical Studies on Terrorism