DOCSLIB.ORG

The Realist and Revolutionist Traditions in Explaining Islamic Fundamentalism: the Case of Al Shabaab

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Realist and Revolutionist Traditions in Explaining Islamic Fundamentalism: the Case of Al Shabaab THE REALIST AND REVOLUTIONIST TRADITIONS IN EXPLAINING ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM: THE CASE OF AL SHABAAB By Brian Tabarovsky Submitted to Central European University Department of International Relations and European Studies In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Relations and European Studies Supervisor: Professor Alexander Astrov Word Count: 12,780 CEU eTD Collection Budapest, Hungary 2014 Abstract This thesis will focus on the puzzle of al Shabaab‟s placement within International Relations theory – specifically the English School‟s three traditions. Due to the deficiency of scholarly theoretical research on al Shabaab, this thesis will attempt to fill this gap through placing al Shabaab at the intersection between the Realist and Revolutionist traditions of the English School. Because of the dearth and complexity of information on al Shabaab, the broad constellation of options available under the English School will be a valuable tool to evaluate the organization. Beyond the simplistic labeling of al Shabaab as a radical Islamic organization, this thesis will articulate al Shabaab‟s worldview by combining the Realism's violent upending of the current international order with the establishment of a new Revolutionist world order to explain the group‟s ideology.This research will provide a review of existing literature on al Shabaab before conceptualizing the group, followed by empirical chapters which will identify al Shabaab within the English school‟s Realist and Revolutionist intersection. This research is a starting point in analyzing al Shabaab through International Relations theory and better understanding the group as an interesting entity within the international system due to its complex nature and vague identification.I hope to realize a starting point from which to evaluate al Shabaab‟s worldview which can lead to future research which would provide invaluable knowledge on al Shabaab and its complex ideology and goals within the current political order. CEU eTD Collection i Acknowledgments I would like to thank Professor Astrov for his constant support and help with structuring and analyzing my thesis – especially for helping me understand the English School‟s three traditions and identifying the different forms of political order which were central to this thesis. CEU eTD Collection ii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ i Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... ii An Introduction to al Shabaab ........................................................................................................ 1 1. A Review of Existing Literature and Theoretical Conceptualization within the Framework of the English School .......................................................................................................................... 4 1.1.Review of al Shabaab in modern Literature: The Dearth of Theory in Contrast to Pragmatic Research ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.2.The English School of IR: a Blend of Revolutionism and Realism ..................................... 7 2. A History of al Shabaab‟s Salafi Roots and Emergence through Somalia‟s Islamic Past ........ 15 2.1. Salafi Fundamentalist Doctrine in al Shabaab‟s Thought.................................................. 15 2.2. Somalia‟s Muslim Roots and al Shabaab‟s Emergence ..................................................... 18 3. Al Shabaab‟s Structural Composition ....................................................................................... 26 4. The Ideological Intersection in the English School of IR in al Shabaab‟s Worldview ............ 33 4.1.Ideology regarding Human Nature and Infidels ................................................................. 33 4.2.Al Shabaab‟s Perspective on International Society ............................................................ 37 4.3. Al Shabaab‟s Legitimization of Powerthrough Sharia Law .............................................. 39 Concluding Remarks on al Shabaab‟s Placement within the English School‟s Traditions .......... 43 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 46 CEU eTD Collection iii An Introduction to al Shabaab In Somalia anarchy has reigned. Since Somalia‟s independence from colonial authority in the mid-20th century, the country has suffered from despotic rule, clan warfare, and Western- backed governance that has yielded little stability and peace for the Somali people. In this void, Islamic organizations have entered to offer hope to a population that throughout history has adhered to Islam due to its Muslim past. After the United Islamic Courts gained power in most regions of Somalia in 2006, various Islamic organizations within the country began to work together to achieve harmony and stability against a Western-backed transitional government and against African forces from neighboring Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya. However, a radical sect of the UIC decided to break away from its mother-organization because of philosophical differences; this group was named al Shabaab (the Youth). Al Shabaab is widely known in the West as a terrorist organization seeking to establish Sharia Law and form a universal Islamic caliphate, thus upending the current state system. In Somalia, its more radical goals clashed with the moderate UIC and, after the fall of the UIC, led to the emergence of al Shabaab as a major Islamic force against the Transitional Federal Government (TGF).1 While it is pretty straightforward to put al Shabaab within the framework of a Salafi fundamentalist terrorist tradition, there is still a key puzzle that must be solved. Why is this terrorist organization not only concerned with the waging of violence but also with establishing a viable political order that offers peace? The skeptics would say that the simple answer is that the CEU eTD Collection Quran calls for the establishment of the Caliphate. However, in international relations scholarship, no research has been done to show how al Shabaab‟s worldview can be explained 1 “Who are Somalia‟s al Shabaab,” BBC World News, May 16, 2014. past the ideology of Islamic radicalism. This paper will place al Shabaab at the intersection between Realist and Revolutionist theory to explain the group‟s worldview and goals. An organization such as al Shabaab that attempts to blend Realist violence in a state of “anarchy” with a peaceful, cosmopolitan worldview needs to be examined further past the simplistic identification of calling it Islamic radicalism with the goal of universality; There is also a certain paradox in understanding how violence can be used to establish peaceful order. This paper will begin with a literature to encapsulate the previous literature on al Shabaab and show that no previous theoretical work has been on explaining the group‟s worldviews. I will then propose my own theoretical framework; Firstly, a theoretical discussion of the three main traditions in International relations will be done to show the prism through which any state system – formal or informal- can be understood – through the Realist, Rationalist and Grotian traditions. A delineation will then be made to show how al Shabaab is at an interesting intersection between Realism and Revolutionism and in opposition to Rationalism. I will then follow with a historical look at Somalia‟s Islamic past to trace how radical fundamentalism has taken hold in the country and introduced such forces as al Shabaab, which deem it practical to start their world revolution in Somalia, a majority Muslim country. This historical narrative will provide the backbone for understanding the birthplace of al Shabaab‟s intersectional view between Realism and Revolutionism and provide an understanding of how the landscape in Somalia allowed for this group to gain power. Lastly, I will empirically place al Shabaab at the intersection between Realism and Revolutionism thus offering a novel approach to CEU eTD Collection understanding the organization. This paper will make these arguments under the premise that empirical data is hard to find on the group, and thus definitive first hand source material is lacking as well as scholarly research. In addition, this Revolutionist/Realist framework will 2 attempt to encapsulate al Shabaab withina wide framework that is needed because of the paradoxical and inexact nature of the group‟s views. CEU eTD Collection 3 1. A Review of Existing Literature and Theoretical Conceptualization within the Framework of the English School 1.1.Review of al Shabaab in modern Literature: The Dearth of Theory in Contrast to Pragmatic Research There has been little scholarly literature written on al Shabaab. As a recent phenomenon that only began to rise in 2006, the group has not been deemed seemingly important to investigate until now with the Nairobi Westgate Mall shootings in Kenya in September of 2013 which killed thirty-nine people and wounded more than 150.2 This deadly and efficient attack put al Shabaab on the world stage and showed their link to al Qaeda, one of the deadliest terrorist organizations in the world. What work has currently been done on al Shabaab has either dealt with
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Security Bazaar Aisha Ahmad Business Interests and Islamist Power in Civil War Somalia
    The Security Bazaar The Security Bazaar Aisha Ahmad Business Interests and Islamist Power in Civil War Somalia Many intractable civil wars take place in countries with large Muslim populations.1 In these pro- tracted conºicts, Islamists are often just one of many actors ªghting in a com- plex landscape of ethnic, tribal, and political violence. Yet, certain Islamist groups compete exceptionally well in these conºicts. Why do Islamists some- times gain power out of civil war stalemates? Although much of the existing research points to either ethnic or religious motivations, I argue that there are also hard economic reasons behind the rise of Islamist power.2 In this article, I offer a micro-political economy model of Islamist success in civil war that highlights the role of an important, but often-overlooked, class: the local busi- ness community. The convergence of business and Islamist interests is relevant across a wide range of cases of contemporary civil war. In present-day Syria and Iraq, jihadi groups have built strong ties to smuggling and criminal networks to fund their Aisha Ahmad is Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and a former fellow of the International Se- curity Program at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University. The author is especially grateful to outstanding colleagues in Kenya and Somalia, including Jabril Abdulle, Sahal Abdulle, Dr. Ibrahim Farah, Dr. Yahya Amir Ibrahim, and Dr. Deqo Mohamed. The author also thanks Theodore McLauchlan, Stephen Saideman, Stuart Soroka, and the anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts, as well seminar and workshop participants at the Belfer Center and McGill University who provided helpful feedback.
    [Show full text]
  • Jihadism in Africa Local Causes, Regional Expansion, International Alliances
    SWP Research Paper Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik German Institute for International and Security Affairs Guido Steinberg and Annette Weber (Eds.) Jihadism in Africa Local Causes, Regional Expansion, International Alliances RP 5 June 2015 Berlin All rights reserved. © Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, 2015 SWP Research Papers are peer reviewed by senior researchers and the execu- tive board of the Institute. They express exclusively the personal views of the authors. SWP Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik German Institute for International and Security Affairs Ludwigkirchplatz 3­4 10719 Berlin Germany Phone +49 30 880 07-0 Fax +49 30 880 07-100 www.swp-berlin.org [email protected] ISSN 1863-1053 Translation by Meredith Dale (Updated English version of SWP-Studie 7/2015) Table of Contents 5 Problems and Recommendations 7 Jihadism in Africa: An Introduction Guido Steinberg and Annette Weber 13 Al-Shabaab: Youth without God Annette Weber 31 Libya: A Jihadist Growth Market Wolfram Lacher 51 Going “Glocal”: Jihadism in Algeria and Tunisia Isabelle Werenfels 69 Spreading Local Roots: AQIM and Its Offshoots in the Sahara Wolfram Lacher and Guido Steinberg 85 Boko Haram: Threat to Nigeria and Its Northern Neighbours Moritz Hütte, Guido Steinberg and Annette Weber 99 Conclusions and Recommendations Guido Steinberg and Annette Weber 103 Appendix 103 Abbreviations 104 The Authors Problems and Recommendations Jihadism in Africa: Local Causes, Regional Expansion, International Alliances The transnational terrorism of the twenty-first century feeds on local and regional conflicts, without which most terrorist groups would never have appeared in the first place. That is the case in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Syria and Iraq, as well as in North and West Africa and the Horn of Africa.
    [Show full text]
  • Outline of Course Schedule and Readings
    ISLA 682 ISLAM AND POLITICS IN AFRICA Fall 2012 Khalid Mustafa Medani Mondays, 6:05– 7:55 pm MOR 328 Associate Professor: Khalid M. Medani Department of Political Science, McGill University Email: [email protected] Office Hours: TBA Seminar Description This is an advanced seminar on Islam and Politics in Africa. The discussion begins by critically examining current debates used to study the relationship between globalization, Islamism and politics in Africa and beyond. We will then discuss the history and different analytical approaches used to study Islamic politics in Africa with particular references to the cases of Sudan, Egypt and Somalia. In doing so, we will consider the merits and deficiencies of the cultural, moral economy, political economy and social movement approaches utilized to understand political Islam. The second section examines the trajectory of Islamist movements with emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on west Africa. What is the difference between Islamist movements in northern Africa versus their counterparts south of the Sahara? Finally, the seminar focuses on the causes (i.e. economic globalization, and geo-political rivalries) and consequences (i.e. the war on terrorism) of the 9/11 attacks for Islamic countries in Africa. We will conclude with presentations of the students’ research paper drafts. Course Requirements Participation in Discussion: Students will be expected to keep up with assigned readings and to come to the seminar prepared to participate in discussion. Students are expected to lead and participant in discussion based on several assignments designed to encourage a deeper understanding of the relationship between Islam and Politics in Africa.
    [Show full text]
  • RELIGION and CONFLICT in AFRICA with a SPECIAL FOCUS on EAST AFRICA Bjørn Møller DIIS REPORT 2006:6 DIIS REPORT DIIS
    DIIS REPORT 2006:6 RELIGION AND CONFLICT IN AFRICA WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON EAST AFRICA Bjørn Møller DIIS REPORT 2006:6 DIIS REPORT DIIS DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES 1 DIIS REPORT 2006:6 © Copenhagen 2006 Danish Institute for International Studies, DIIS Strandgade 56, DK -1401 Copenhagen, Denmark Ph: +45 32 69 87 87 Fax: +45 32 69 87 00 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.diis.dk Cover Design: Carsten Schiøler Layout: Allan Lind Jørgensen Printed in Denmark by Vesterkopi AS ISBN: 87-7605-145-5 Price: DKK 50.00 (VAT included) DIIS publications can be downloaded free of charge from www.diis.dk Hardcopies can be ordered at www.diis.dk This publication is part of DIIS’s Defence and Security Studies project which is funded by a grant from the Danish Ministry of Defence. Bjørn Møller, Senior Research Fellow, DIIS,DIIS, [email protected]@diis.dk The author holds an MA in History and a Ph.D. in International Relations, both from the University of Copenhagen. Since 1985, he has been (senior) research fellow, subsequently programme director at the Copenhagen Peace Research Institute (COPRI), which in 2003 became part of the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS). He served as Secretary General of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) from 1997 to 2000, and has been External Lecturer at the Institute of Political Studies, University of Copenhagen since 1994 and at the Centre of African Studies since 2002. In the academic year 2003/04, he served as Visiting Associate Professor at the research centre on Development and International Relations (DIR) at Aalborg University, where he is pres- ently external lecturer.
    [Show full text]
  • Religious Extremism, Insurgent Violence and the Transformation of the New African Security Landscape
    6 Religious Extremism, Insurgent Violence and the Transformation of the New African Security Landscape Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou n the early twenty-first century, Africa has updating its response matrix to generate a proper experienced significant changes in the nature understanding of the ongoing transformation, of the security threats it is facing. Since the whereby new actors are impacting the dominant I1960s and throughout the post-colonial period, conflict grammar in open-ended ways. the African landscape had been dominated by Specifically, a new generation of armed groups political irredentism and territorial disputes has emerged over the past quarter of a century. triggered by the legacy of colonial arbitrariness Understanding this new generation of non- and perpetuated by autocratic regimes. By the state armed groups presents novel analytical 1990s, the scene had transformed, as non-state and practical challenges, as these entities differ actors had become increasingly active across the substantially from those that are traditionally continent. Later, this evolution grew to concern active in civil conflicts (UN System Staff College vectors of statehood, political violence and force and Center for International Peace Operations projection (or a group’s ability to broadcast power). 2015, 7). Just as the state system itself is an evolving These changes are rooted in the synthesis of architecture (Engel and Porto 2010, 159), the new legitimacy crises, the disintegration of prevailing groups have an equally deep historical anchoring. social systems and the rise of disruptive military Guerrillas, rebels and warlords have operated in innovation, and are vividly visible in Africa (Philips fertile frontiers and marginalized zones, both real 34, 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Type of Paper: Code [Please Amend/Delete Accordingly]
    Meeting Summary Islamism and Politics in Somalia Dr Abdurahman M. Abdullahi (Baadiyow) Director of Political Office, Al Islah; and Presidential Candidate, Somalia 12 June 2012 The views expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of Chatham House, its staff, associates or Council. Chatham House is independent and owes no allegiance to any government or to any political body. It does not take institutional positions on policy issues. This document is issued on the understanding that if any extract is used, the author(s)/ speaker(s) and Chatham House should be credited, preferably with the date of the publication or details of the event. Where this document refers to or reports statements made by speakers at an event every effort has been made to provide a fair representation of their views and opinions, but the ultimate responsibility for accuracy lies with this document’s author(s). The published text of speeches and presentations may differ from delivery. Meeting Summary: Islamism and Politics in Somalia Key Themes This meeting looked at the role of Islam in Somalia’s politics. The speaker briefly described the history of Somalia’s Islamic movements during the 19th and 20th centuries, and then analysed the role of Islam in today’s politics. During Dr Baadiyow’s presentation and the subsequent Q&A session, three key themes emerged: 1. Islamic movements have a long history in Somalia. It is important to understand current dynamics in terms of trends that pre-date the attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001 (9/11) and the subsequent shift in external engagement with the region.
    [Show full text]
  • Currenttrends in ISLAMIST IDEOLOGY
    CT 26 finals_Layout 1 20-07-16 11:45 AM Page 1 CurrentTrends IN ISLAMIST IDEOLOGY VOLUME 26 July, 2020 ■ HOW ISLAMISTS ARE RUINING ISLAM Mustafa Akyol ■ THE EVOLUTION OF EAST AFRICAN SALAFI-JIHADISM James Barnett ■ OBSERVATIONS ON THE ISLAMIC STATE IN IRAN Mehdi Khalaji ■ HOW THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION INSPIRED TURKISH IS- LAMISM Svante E. Cornell and M. K. Kaya ■ QASSEM SOLEIMANI’S FALL AND THE BATTLE TO COME IN IRAQ Ranj Alaaldin ■ EUROPE FRETS, AMERICA YAWNS: THE TRANS-ATLANTIC GAP ON DOMESTIC ISLAMISM Lorenzo Vidino Hudson Institute Center on Islam, Democracy, and the Future of the Muslim World CT 26 finals_Layout 1 20-07-16 11:45 AM Page 1 CurrentTrends IN ISLAMIST IDEOLOGY VOLUME 26 Edited by Hillel Fradkin, Husain Haqqani, and Eric Brown Hudson Institute Center on Islam, Democracy, and the Future of the Muslim World CT 26 finals_Layout 1 20-07-16 11:45 AM Page 2 © 2020 Hudson Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN: 1940-834X For more information about obtaining additional copies of this or other Hudson Institute publica- tions, please visit Hudson’s website at www.hudson.org/bookstore or call toll free: 1-888-554-1325. ABOUT HUDSON INSTITUTE Hudson Institute is a nonpartisan, independent policy research organization dedicated to innova- tive research and analysis that promotes global security, prosperity, and freedom. Founded in 1961 by strategist Herman Kahn, Hudson Institute challenges conventional thinking and helps man- age strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary studies in defense, international re- lations, economics, health care, technology, culture, and law. With offices in Washington and New York, Hud son seeks to guide public policymakers and global leaders in government and business through a vigorous program of publications, conferences, policy briefings, and recommendations.
    [Show full text]
  • ECFG-Somalia-May-19.Pdf
    About this Guide This guide is designed to prepare you to deploy to culturally complex environments and achieve mission objectives. The fundamental information contained within will help you understand the decisive cultural dimension of your assigned location and gain skills necessary for success (Photo: A Somali family, courtesy of IRIN/Moulid Hujale). ECFG The guide consists of 2 parts: Part 1 introduces “Culture General,” the foundational knowledge you need to operate effectively in any global environment. Somalia Part 2 presents “Culture Specific” Somalia, focusing on unique cultural features of Somali society and is designed to complement other pre-deployment training. It applies culture- general concepts to help increase your knowledge of your assigned deployment location (Photo: Somali children at a primary school, courtesy of UNHCR/J. Ose). For further information, visit the Air Force Culture and Language Center (AFCLC) website at www.airuniversity.af.edu/AFCLC/ or contact AFCLC’s Region Team at [email protected]. Disclaimer: All text is the property of the AFCLC and may not be modified by a change in title, content, or labeling. It may be reproduced in its current format with the expressed permission of the AFCLC. All photography is provided as a courtesy of the US government, Wikimedia, and other sources as indicated. GENERAL CULTURE PART 1 – CULTURE GENERAL What is Culture? Fundamental to all aspects of human existence, culture shapes the way humans view life and functions as a tool we use to adapt to our social and physical environments. A culture is the sum of all of the beliefs, values, behaviors, and symbols that have meaning for a society.
    [Show full text]
  • Lights, Camera, Jihad: Al-Shabaab's Western Media Strategy
    Lights, Camera, Jihad: Al-Shabaab’s Western Media Strategy Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens Shiraz Maher James Sheehan A policy report published by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR) In partnership with the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) Lights, Camera, Jihad Al-Shabaab’s Western Media Strategy AbouT THIS RePort The authors would like to thank the Smith Richardson Foundation and the Gerda Henkel Foundation for their support. AbouT ICSR The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR) is a unique partnership in which King’s College London, Georgetown Univesity, the University of Pennsylvania, the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (Israel) and the Regional Center for Conflict Prevention Amman (Jordan) are equal stakeholders. The aim and mission of ICSR is to bring together knowledge and leadership to counter the growth of radicalisation and political violence. For more information, please visit www.icsr.info. Contact details For questions, queries and additional copies of this report, please contact: ICSR King’s College London 138 –142 Strand London WC2R 1HH United Kingdom T. + 44 (0)20 7848 2065 F. + 44 (0)20 7848 2748 e. [email protected] Like all other ICSR publications, this report can be downloaded free of charge from the ICSR website at www.icsr.info. © ICSR 2012 2 Executive Summary hile the threat that al-Shabaab poses to the West can easily be overstated, its outreach to Muslims living in Europe and W the United States has been successful relative to other al-Qaeda-linked groups and warrants exploration.
    [Show full text]
  • Somalia's Divided Islamists
    Policy Briefing Africa Briefing N°74 Nairobi/Brussels, 18 May 2010 Somalia’s Divided Islamists Although Al-Shabaab has regained Kismaayo and key I. OVERVIEW towns and villages in the south by routing its rival (and erstwhile ally) Hizb al-Islam, it is now on the defensive The growing internal schisms and factionalism within and feels beleaguered. The movement is forced to fight Somalia’s Islamist movement risk plunging the country on many fronts and to disperse its assets and combatants even deeper into violence and bloodshed, with dangerous through broad swathes of hostile territory, far from its implications for the wider region and beyond. These divi- Jubba and Shabeelle strongholds in the south. But unless sions are also aggravating the political crisis by polarising TFG forces perform significantly better, the balance of groups further along ideological, theological and clan power will not be much altered. lines. However, a limited opportunity may now exist for Somalia’s political actors and the international commu- Al-Shabaab’s military troubles have been compounded by nity to capitalise on these divisions and re-alignments to the steady erosion of its popularity and credibility. The reach out to the increasing numbers of domestic militants attempt to forcefully homogenise Islam and zealously disenchanted with the growing influence of foreign jihadis enforce a harsh interpretation of Sharia, as well as the and extremist elements bent on pursuing a global agenda. general climate of fear and claustrophobia fostered by an authoritarian administrative style, has deeply alienated The divisions have always existed, but remained hidden, large segments of society, even in areas once regarded as largely because of the unifying factor of Ethiopia’s in- solid insurgent territory.
    [Show full text]
  • The Challenge of Dawa Political Islam As Ideology and Movement and How to Counter It
    The Challenge of Dawa Political Islam as Ideology and Movement and How to Counter It Ayaan Hirsi Ali HOOVER INSTITUTION PRESS STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CALIFORNIA With its eminent scholars and world-renowned library and archives, the Hoover Institution seeks to improve the human condition by advancing ideas that promote economic opportunity and prosperity, while securing and safeguarding peace for America and all mankind. The views expressed in its publications are entirely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, officers, or Board of Overseers of the Hoover Institution. www.hoover.org Hoover Institution Press Publication Hoover Institution at Leland Stanford Junior University, Stanford, California 94305-6010 Copyright © 2017 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher and copyright holders. Efforts have been made to locate the original sources, determine the current rights holders, and, if needed, obtain reproduction permissions. On verification of any such claims to rights in the articles reproduced in this book, any required corrections or clarifications will be made in subsequent printings/editions. Hoover Institution Press assumes no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. First printing 2017 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Manufactured in the United States of America The paper used in this publication meets the minimum Requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
    [Show full text]
  • Ding Terrorism in the Horn of Africa: American Perceptions of Somalia, Kenya, and Al Qaeda
    CLAREMONT McKENNA COLLEGE UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM IN THE HORN OF AFRICA: AMERICAN PERCEPTIONS OF SOMALIA, KENYA, AND AL QAEDA SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR JENNIFER TAW AND DEAN GREGORY HESS BY VICTORIA DIN FOR SENIOR THESIS FALL 2010 – SPRING 2011 APRIL 25, 2011 Contents I. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................................................1 The Failed State Narrative: Shaping American Foreign Policy Since 1991................................ 3 The End of the Cold War: New Era, New Security Paradigm ..................................................... 6 False Dichotomies: Old vs. New War........................................................................................... 8 Beyond Theory: the Implications for American Foreign Policy ............................................... 12 Dismantling Post-Cold War Assumptions.................................................................................. 16 II. UNDERSTANDINDG TERRORISM: THE NEW, THE OLD, AND AL QAEDA........................................................ 21 Terrorism: the Action, not the Actor ......................................................................................... 23 Questioning the New Terrorism Paradigm................................................................................ 27 Revolutionary Terrorism: An Alternative to Old versus New Terrorism................................. 29 The Crenshaw Model .........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]