Terrorism: The Power and Weakness of Fear

Cover -- Half Title -- Series Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1 Ancient, medieval and early modern extremist movements -- 2 Was Russian terrorism a true instrument of the people? -- 3 Methodology of Russian terrorism -- 4 Ideology of the National Socialist terrorist state -- 5 National Socialist propaganda -- 6 Interpretations of jihad -- 7 Rules of jihad -- 8 Precursors to the Islamic State -- 9 Islamic State media production and Islam -- 10 Islamic State legitimacy and perception of the enemy -- 11 The eleven fears of Islamic terrorist organizations -- 12 A comparative evolution of terrorism -- Conclusion -- Glossary -- Index.

Introduction1. Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern Extremist Movements2. Was Russian Terrorism a True Instrument of the People?3. Methodology of Russian Terrorism4. Ideology of the National Socialist Terrorist State5. National Socialist Propaganda6. Interpretations of Jihad7. Rules of Jihad8. Precursors to the Islamic State9. Islamic State Media Production and Islam10. Islamic State Legitimacy and Perception of the Enemy11. The Eleven Fears of Islamic Terrorist Organizations12. A Comparative Evolution of TerrorismConclusion

This book adopts an innovative historical approach to terrorism, focusing on the weaknesses of terrorist states and organizations as reflected in the ideologies, methodologies, and propaganda of Russian populist, National Socialist, and Islamic terrorism. Drawing upon multilingual primary sources, the book challenges the oft repeated claim that the Nazi regime and Islamic State produced propaganda of superior quality, instead arguing that the manipulation of information is the Achilles heel of terrorist organizations. It offers a critical examination of the fears of terrorists themselves, as opposed to the traditional focus on the fear instilled by terrorist organizations in governments and citizens. Taking a multidisciplinary approach and long-term history perspective the book provides a method for exploring the minds of terrorists and the inner workings of their organizations and traces the evolution of terrorist thought and methodology across time and place. This is the ideal volume for researchers of terrorism within the fields of History, Politics, Security Studies, Religious Studies and Legal Studies.