Research on Jihadist Terrorism, Rebel Governance, and Civil Resistance

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter traces the three fields of literature on which the book builds: jihadist terrorism, rebel governance, and civil resistance. It outlines the rise of global jihadism since the mujahideen anti-Soviet resistance movement in Afghanistan during the 1980s, placing special emphasis on the organizational split between al-Qaeda and IS in 2014, which eventually manifested itself on the local level in different governing strategies. Theoretically, this chapter locates jihadist proto-states within the wider category of rebel governance, arguing that—just like other rebel groups—they depend on different pillars of civilian support to provide effective governance and derive legitimacy. Therefore, the chapter claims that civilians can also withdraw their support from, and thereby undermine, the jihadist state-building project. It further carves out both similarities and differences between jihadist proto-states and other forms of rebel governance, based on which a theoretical argument is presented that draws on a grievance- and resource mobilization–based framework.