Terrorism and radicalization came to the forefront of news and politics in the US after the unforgettable attacks of September 11th, 2001. When George W. Bush famously asked 'Why do they hate us?,' the President echoed the confusion, anger and fear felt by millions of Americans, while also creating a politicized discourse that has come to characterize and obscure discussions of both phenomena in the media.
Since then the American public has lived through a number of domestic attacks and threats, and watched international terrorist attacks from afar on television sets and computer screens. The anxiety and misinformation surrounding terrorism and radicalization are perhaps best detected in questions that have continued to recur in the last decade: 'Are terrorists crazy?'; 'Is there a profile of individuals likely to become terrorists?'; 'Is it possible to prevent radicalization to terrorism?' Fortunately, in the two decades since 9/11, a significant body of research has emerged that can help provide definitive answers.
As experts in the psychology of radicalization, Sophia Moskalenko and Clark McCauley propose twelve mechanisms that can move individuals, groups, and mass publics from political indifference to sympathy and support for terrorist violence.
The Marvel of Martyrdom is about how self-sacrifice can change lives and how martyrs can change the world.
The book starts large-with famous and influential martyrs such as Jesus and Gandhi-and ends small-with ordinary people whose own experiences of self-sacrifice give martyrdom its political power. Seeking the developmental origins of self-sacrifice, the book explores children's folklore and the success of mega-hits such as The Matrix and Harry Potter. Seeking the everyday rewards of self-sacrifice, the book shows the potential for finding meaning and happiness in helping others.
The Marvel of Martyrdom takes a broad perspective on self-sacrifice and martyrdom, bringing together religion, popular culture, history, psychology, and mythology. Stories of individuals both famous (Gandhi) and obscure (Rodrigo Rosenberg) intertwine with research on altruism, happiness, and radicalization to terrorism. The changing landscape of the book's setting-from The Roman Empire to nineteenth-century Russia to Nazi Germany to post-World War II India, to present day Ukraine-makes the power of self-sacrifice and martyrdom come alive and shows their potential to change people and cultures.