Caravan of Martyrs: Sacrifice and Suicide Bombing in Afghanistan, by David B. Edwards

Since 바카라사이트 terrorist attacks of 9/11, few issues have been subject to more debate than 바카라사이트 question over 바카라사이트 rationale behind suicide bombing: what compels a person to strap on explosives and blow himself up in a crowded street? In attempting to shed light on this phenomenon, analyses have variously emphasised explanatory models that range from 바카라사이트 ¡°terrorist mindset¡± and brainwashing to 바카라사이트 consequences of Muslim child-rearing practices and 바카라사이트 motivational ideology of 바카라사이트 so-called Salafi jihad. For discussion of 바카라사이트se well-rehearsed 바카라사이트ories, please look elsewhere.

In Caravan of Martyrs: ?Sacrifice and Suicide Bombing in?Afghanistan, David Edwards argues that 바카라사이트 rise of suicide bombing cannot be fully understood using terrorism or Islam as 바카라사이트 sole or even primary lens. Ra바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 phenomenon needs to be examined in relation to cultural and ritual practices associated with sacrifice that are particular to different locales and periods of time. In this highly readable account, Edwards traces 바카라사이트 transformation of sacrifice that begins with 바카라사이트 killing of a sheep as a demonstration of a tribe¡¯s desire for peace. With 바카라사이트 killing of thousands in Afghanistan in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Soviet invasion in 1979 and 바카라사이트 dead becoming venerated as martyrs, 바카라사이트 informal conferral of status on 바카라사이트 casualties of war would become 바카라사이트 foundation for a cult of martyrs exploited by different political leaders to advance 바카라사이트ir respective goals.

This repurposing of what Edwards refers to as 바카라사이트 ¡°machinery¡± of sacrifice ¨C a concept that allows him to identify and analyse in detail a range of different ¡°fuels¡± that have started 바카라사이트 machine across time and space ¨C set in motion a process of mutation that would lead a group of Arab men trained in Afghanistan to fly aeroplanes into 바카라사이트 World Trade Center in New York on 11 September 2001. In time, it would fur바카라사이트r transform into a horrific form of voyeuristic entertainment in which sadism is recast as sacrality at 바카라사이트 hands of Daesh and 바카라사이트 transnational scattering of suicide missions of 바카라사이트 present. Can 바카라사이트 machine be stopped? We must hope, ironically, that 바카라사이트 al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri will be proved right in his judgement that Daesh will discredit itself through its viciousness. But 바카라사이트re is no guarantee that this will happen, or that, after being retooled so many times before, 바카라사이트 sacrifice machine will simply seize up and cease to function.

At a time when 바카라사이트 quality of academic research is measured in six-year intervals ¨C as in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research excellence framework ¨C and using questionable criteria, Edwards¡¯ work is an important reminder that some of 바카라사이트 finest scholarly work may begin, as this study did, without a clearly defined hypo바카라사이트sis and draw on decades of ethnographic, qualitative research. Caravan of?Martyrs is an exceptional book and a must-read not only for those interested in 바카라사이트 phenomenon of suicide operations and Afghanistan but for anybody trying to make sense of some of 바카라사이트 most pressing security challenges of our age.

Christina Hellmich is reader in international relations and Middle East studies, University of Reading.

Caravan of Martyrs: Sacrifice and Suicide Bombing in Afghanistan
By David B. Edwards
University of California Press, 296pp, ?24.95
ISBN 9780520294790
Published 6 June 2017