From the Terrorists' Point of View: What They Experience and Why They Come to Destroy

Presenting a picture of the world giving rise to Islamic terrorism, From the Terrorists' Point of View argues that terrorism arises from a deep and pervasive identity crisis in Islamic societies. The account presented in these 10 chapters is shaped by the author's first-hand experiences of life in the Islamic world, as well as his more than quarter-century of research on the psychology of conflict and radicalism. Moghaddam shows us why individuals who are recruited into terrorist organizations are convinced it is the only viable alternative. They believe there are no effective legal means of expressing their grievances and participating in decision making, so they become socialized to see terrorist organizations as legitimate. The organizations they join train them to adopt an us vs. them categorical view, seeing all members outside their group, including civilians, as among the evil enemy ranks.

Looking at the perspective of the terrorist groups themselves, Moghaddam explains why current U.S. policy, focusing almost exclusively on individual terrorists and their eradication, will achieve only short-term gains. He argues that the more effective long-term policy against terrorism is prevention. That, he writes, requires cultivation and nourishment of contextualized democracy through culturally appropriate avenues. Only allowing people a greater voice and creating mobility opportunities for them will ensure that they do not feel a need to climb the staircase to terrorism.

Fathali M. Moghaddam is Professor, Department of Psychology and Director, Conflict Resolution Program, Department of Government, at Georgetown University. He is also Senior Fellow at the Center for Interdisciplinary Policy, Education and Research on Terrorism. Dr. Moghaddam has been published extensively on the psychology of intergroup conflict, subjective justice, radicalization, and terrorism. The American Psychological Association's Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence awarded Dr. Moghaddam its 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award. His most recent books include From the Terrorists' Point of View: What They Experience and Why They Come to Destroy (Praeger Security International, 2006) and Multiculturalism and Intergroup Relations: Psychological Implications for Democracy in Global Context (2008).