Understanding Al Qaeda

'Mohamedou is a top-notch academic. In today's world, you can't afford to miss this book' -- Tim Sebastian, award-winning former BBC foreign correspondent and presenter of HARDtalk 'A political analysis which provides a much-needed secular understanding of Al Qaeda as one among several organised forces in a rapidly changing international arena' -- Mahmood Mamdani, Herbert Lehman Professor of Government, Columbia University and author of Good Muslim, Bad Muslim 'This sober and sobering analysis is essential reading for Americans and Europeans, and opinion leaders everywhere. In times of crisis, listen to those who tell you what you need to know, not those who tell you what you want to hear' -- Abdullahi An-Naim, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Law, Emory University 'Very thought provoking' -- Richard H. Shultz Jr, Director of the International Security Studies Program at Tufts University's Fletcher School 'This must stand as one of the most thoughtful analyses to date of the evolution of Al Qaeda, in its drivers and motivation, organisation, and tactics' -- Gerd Nonneman, Professor of International Relations & Middle East Politics, University of Exeter

Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou is Professor of International History at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, and teaches at the doctoral school at Sciences Po Paris. Previously the Associate Director of the Harvard University Programme on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research, he is the author of A Theory of ISIS (Pluto, 2017) and Understanding Al Qaeda (Pluto, 2011).

List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Casus Belli 2. Changed Context 3. Purpose and Pattern 4. Fallacies and Primacies 5. Depth of Engagement Appendices Chronology Notes Bibliography Index