Most books on terrorism deal with descriptions of terrorist organizations and activities, some examine privacy and civil liberties issues, and others treat terrorism as a series of policy choices. Hardly any books deal with the foundational questions of values and violence as they relate to terrorism. The two unique features of this book are that it deals with violence at the normative foundations of values and human dignity and that it includes many of the best-known authors in the world from a variety of disciplines, making it a paradigmatic example of cutting-edge study in interdisciplinary scholarship, with a focus on bringing theories and policy issues closer together.

"Values and Violence" includes chapters by a dozen of the leading scholars in the world on patterns of political violence, responses to terrorism, and the basic value choices inherent in them.

Since the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, many Middle Eastern analysts have come to view Islamism as the wave of the future in Arab politics. However, the post-revolution revival of Islamism as a significant political opposition in Arab societies has not resulted in the widespread emergence of Islamic regimes. Ibrahim A. Karawan argues that, although Islamists - both political and militant - are likely to remain a relevant opposition force, it is not a foregone conclusion that their influence will be decisive in shaping the Middle East's political landscape. He asserts that Islamist groups have stagnated in the face of fragmentation, political over-extension, effective state strategies and the poor performance of self-proclaimed Islamic regimes. As a result, Islamists are likely to remain a relevant opposition force, but their influence will probably not be decisive.

Most books on terrorism deal with descriptions of terrorist organizations and activities, some examine privacy and civil liberties issues, and others treat terrorism as a series of policy choices. Hardly any books deal with the foundational questions of values and violence as they relate to terrorism. The two unique features of this book are that it deals with violence at the normative foundations of values and human dignity and that it includes many of the best-known authors in the world from a variety of disciplines, making it a paradigmatic example of cutting-edge study in interdisciplinary scholarship, with a focus on bringing theories and policy issues closer together.

"Values and Violence" includes chapters by a dozen of the leading scholars in the world on patterns of political violence, responses to terrorism, and the basic value choices inherent in them.