Violence in the Middle East: From Political Struggle to Self-sacrifice

Violence in the Middle East: From Political Struggle to Self-sacrifice Violence has been a central political issue in many Middle Eastern countries during the past two decades, either episodically (Syria, Iran) or continually (Turkey, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel/Palestine). This groundbreaking new study sheds light on the dynamics of this phenomenon by going beyond factors usually cited as the root causes--economy, religion, and culture--and investigating the political structure that actually triggers this violence. Violence seems to be treated by some groups during their initial stages as a rational instrument for changing contested power relations. In their later stages, these movements often weaken and spawn fragmented and privatized forms of violence--warlords are one example--and in some situations the violence metamorphoses into nihilistic, sacrificial, and/or messianic forms. This book explores the ways in which the criminalization of political, ethnic, and sectarian identities has contributed to the formation of a 'tragic mind' that perceives violence as the surest provider of justice and hope. The author's in-depth analysis, which combines approaches from the cognitive, social, and religious sciences, can help us to understand the logic behind these forms of violence. Autor: Hamit Bozarslan Wydawnictwo: Markus Wiener Publishing Inc Rok wydania: 2020 Okładka: miękka Liczba stron: 170 Wymiary: 15.2 x 22.8 x 1.8 cm Język: angielski ISBN: 9781558763098