Globalization and Terrorism: The Migration of Dreams and Nightmares

Globalization and terrorism are both charged concepts; people use the terms loosely without regard for exactitude, often to further political ends. This book carefully defines these concepts, puts them in historical as well as political context, and amplifies the basics with an exploration of the way in which the dreams inspired by globalization can translate all too easily into the nightmare of terrorism. The author writes beautifully about the harshest of circumstances endured by victims of globalization--the root causes we give lip service to discovering but often without effect. He develops two key cases--the conflicts in Palestine and Northern Ireland--and applies their lessons to other examples including the Congo, Chechnya, and Colombia in an effort to internationalize our understanding of how globalization and terrorism operate in a variety of contexts. Finally, a chapter on Middle Eastern Islamist terrorism is a tour de force of incisiveness with balance. Nassar presents the dominant view along with the perspective of those dominated by forces beyond their control. Even as he offers a profound critique of Western hegemony, Nassar conveys his respect and hope for an enlightened global interdependence--embracing the power of the dream over the nightmare.