The Globalization of Martyrdom: Global Jihad and the Recruitment of Suicide Bombers

About

“Traditional” terrorist organizations employing suicide operations as a tactic, such as Hizballah, Hamas, the LTTE (Tamil Tigers), or the PKK, have recruited suicide bombers primarily from among the local populations. A key factor in this recruitment has been the emergence of a local “culture of martyrdom” created in the wake of ongoing and geographically limited conflict. In his dissertation, Assaf Moghadam, a pre-doctoral research fellow at BCSIA’s International Security Program, will examine how the Global Jihad movement, of which al-Qaeda is a part, manages to recruit suicide bombers on an international scale — and in the apparent absence of local cultures of martyrdom. At this seminar, he will present an early draft of his dissertation proposal and seek helpful comments.

Please join us! Coffee and tea provided.

Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come – first served basis.