Terrorist in Search of Humanity: Militant Islam and Global Politics (Crises in World Politics)

A global society has come into being, but possesses as yet no political institutions of its own. In his book, Faisal Devji argues that new forms of militancy, like that of Al Qaeda, achieve meaning in this institutional vacuum, while representing in their various ways the search for a global politics. From environmentalism to pacifism and beyond, such a politics can only be one that takes humanity itself as its object, hence militant practices are informed by the same search that animates humanitarianism, which from human rights to humanitarian intervention has become the global aim and signature of all contemporary politics. This is the search for humanity as an agent and not simply the victim of history. To the militant, victimized Muslims represent not their religion so much as humanity itself, and terrorism the effort to turn this humanity into an historical actor – since it is after all the globe’s only possible actor. For environmentalists and pacifists as much as for our holy warriors, a global humanity has in this way replaced the international proletariat as the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ of history. "Author of the critically acclaimed Landscapes of the Jihad: Militancy, Morality, Modernity, Faisal Devji argues that new forms of militancy, such as the actions of al-Qaeda, are informed by the same desire for agency and equality animating humanitarian interventions, such as environmentalism and pacifism. To the militant, victimised Muslims are more than just symbols of ethnic and religious persecution - they represent humanity's centuries-long struggle for legitimacy and agency." "In this way Islam is defined more in humanitarian than theological terms. Acts of terror, therefore, are fuelled by the militant's desire for humanity to become an historical actor on the global stage. Though they have yet to build concrete political institutions, militant movements have formed a kind of global society, and as Devji makes clear, this society pursues the same humanitarian objectives that drive more benevolent groups."--Jacket "Faisal Devji argues that new forms of militancy, such as the actions of al-Qaeda, are informed by the same desire for agency and equality that animates other humanitarian interventions, such as environmentalism and pacifism. To the militant, victimized Muslims are more than just symbols of ethnic and religious persecution-they represent humanity's centuries-long struggle for legitimacy and agency. Acts of terror, therefore, are fueled by the militant's desire to become a historical actor on the global stage. Though they have yet to build concrete political institutions, militant movements have formed a kind of global society, and as Devji makes clear, this society pursues the same humanitarian objectives that drive more benevolent groups."-- Publisher description Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents About the author Acknowledgements Preface 1. Sleeping Beauty 2. The Perfect Victim 3. Laws of Uncertainty 4. Arabian Knights 5. GWOT 6. Insulting the Prophet 7.In the Bellies of Green Birds Index Argues that various forms of militancy, such as the actions of al-Qaeda, are informed by the same desire for agency and equality that animates other humanitarian interventions, such as environmentalism and pacifism.