RT Book
T1 Mobilization for violent politicized Islam: motivations of former participants in al-Shabaab
T2 Political violence
A1 Zitzmann, Hawa Noor
LA English
PP London New York
PB Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
YR 2025
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1893861716
AB "This book focuses on the involvement of some Kenyans in al-Shabaab, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda based in Somalia, despite their country's relative stability compared to Somalia. The book discusses the origin of the Kenyan state and how colonization created social stratification that benefited elites closer to the centre, while excluding marginalized groups at the periphery. The argument is that this pattern still prevails, despite attempts to enhance equality, such as the adoption of a new constitution in 2010 promoting the devolution of power and resources. The persistence of this condition, it is argued, is what initially handed al-Qaeda and later al-Shabaab opportunities for mobilization, enabled by its creative politicization of religion. The heavy-handed tactics employed by security forces under the auspices of the 'War on Terror' further catalysed this process, resulting in more Kenyan individuals joining the group. Using an historical and political process approach, the book shows how the interplay of structural conditions and al-Shabaab's mobilization strategy linked with individuals' motivations for joining the group. Based on individuals' own narratives about their participation, the latter is empirically demonstrated to be non-linear, incorporating motivations beyond rational ones, contrary to the overemphasis on ideology in the literature on participation in groups similar to al-Shabaab. This book will of much interest to students of political violence, African politics, Islamic studies and International Relations"--
OP 160
NO Includes bibliographical references and index
CN HV6433.K4
SN 9781032391458
SN 9781032391465
K1 Shabaab (Organization)
K1 Terrorism : Kenya
K1 Islam and politics : Kenya
K1 Social Conflict : Kenya
K1 Kenya : Politics and government