Terrorism

In counterterrorism circles, the standard response to questions about the possibility of future attacks is a terse one-liner worthy of Jack Bauer: 'Not if, but when'. This mantra supposedly conveys a realistic approach to the problem, but, as Joseba Zulaika argues in "Terrorism", it functions as a self-fulfilling prophecy by distorting reality to fit their own worldview, the architects of the war on terror prompt the behavior they seek to prevent - a twisted logic that has already played out horrifically in Iraq. In short, Zulaika contends, counterterrorism has become pivotal in promoting terrorism. Exploring the blind spots of counterterrorist doctrine, Zulaika takes readers on a remarkable intellectual journey. He contrasts the psychological insight of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" with "The 9/11 Commission Report", plumbs the mindset of terrorists in works by Oriana Fallaci and Jean Genet, maps the continuities between the cold war and the fight against terrorism, and analyzes the case of a Basque terrorist who tried to return to civilian life. Zulaika's argument is powerful, inventive, and rich with insights and ideas that provide a new and sophisticated perspective on the war on terror.

ISBN 0226994163   Pages 224 ISBN13 9780226994161 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher The University of Chicago Press   Weight (grammes) 386 Imprint University of Chicago Press   Published in Chicago, IL Format Paperback   Height (mm) 229 Publication date 04 Dec 2009   Width (mm) 152 Library of Congress 2009010358   Spine width (mm) 20 DEWEY 303.625   Academic level Professional / Scholarly, Postgraduate DEWEY edition DC22

Introduction		Rethinking the War on Terror		1
I		The Rhetorics of Terrorism
Ch. 1		Writing Counterterrorism: The Betrayal of the Public Intellectual		17
Ch. 2		Who's Afraid of Truman Capote? Writers versus Counterterrorists		37
II		Terrorist Subjectivities
Ch. 3		The Terrorist as Lover: Read My Terrorist Desire		63
Ch. 4		Eros, Terror, and Suicide: Life against Death		90
Ch. 5		Antigone, the Terrorist: The Passage a l'Acte That Traverses the Subject's Fantasy		108
III		Self-Fulfilling Politics
Ch. 6		The Cold War Is Dead, Long Live Terrorism		131
Ch. 7		Dr. Strangelove Meets the Terrorist: On Political Madness		157
Ch. 8		9/11 and the Iraq War as Self-Fulfilling Prophecies		171
		Epilogue: The Passion for Ignorance and Its Catch-22		207
		Notes		225
		Index		259

"This is a brilliant book - a rich and insightful theoretical analysis. Zulaika presents an in-depth critical and cultural deconstruction of what terrorism means symbolically, how it is used in political discourse, and how it is applied by the U.S. government as a means of manufacturing consent for violent policies of counterterrorism." - Jeffrey Sluka, author of Death Squad"

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