This book examines contemporary jihad as a cult of violence and power. All jihadi groups, whether Shiite or Sunni, Arab or not, are characterized by a similar bloodlust. Murawiec characterizes this belief structure as identical to that of Europe's medieval millenarians and apocalyptics, arguing that both jihadis and their European cousins shared in a Gnostic ideology: a God-given mission endowed the Elect with supernatural powers and placed them above the common law of mankind. Although the ideology of jihad is essentially Islamic, Murawiec traces the political technologies used by modern jihad to the Bolsheviks. Their doctrines of terror as a system of rule were appropriated by radical Islam through multiple lines of communication. This book brings history, anthropology, and theology to bear to understand the mind of jihad that has declared war on the West and the world.

This book examines contemporary jihad as a cult of violence and power. All jihadi groups, whether Shiite or Sunni, Arab or not, are characterized by a similar bloodlust. Murawiec characterizes this belief structure as identical to that of Europe's medieval millenarians and apocalyptics, arguing that both jihadis and their European cousins shared in a Gnostic ideology: a God-given mission endowed the Elect with supernatural powers and placed them above the common law of mankind. Although the ideology of jihad is essentially Islamic, Murawiec traces the political technologies used by modern jihad to the Bolsheviks. Their doctrines of terror as a system of rule were appropriated by radical Islam through multiple lines of communication. This book brings history, anthropology, and theology to bear to understand the mind of jihad that has declared war on the West and the world.

Demographic shifts are a cause, an effect, and a forerunner of geopolitical shocks and transformations. Examining these shifts is an important step in any strategic assessment of the global security environment. Unfortunately, the demographic community and the strategic and defense communities seldom interact. Providing venues for such interactions is therefore important. For this purpose, RAND sponsored a workshop on "Demography and National Security" in Paris at the initiative of RAND's Population Matters program in November 2000. The workshop brought together French, American, and other European demographers; senior representatives from the French Ministry of Defense; and researchers, economists, and experts in geopolitics. Revealing differences emerged, both between demographers and national-security experts and also between American and French participants. Different objects of concern surfaced, and contrasting views of phenomena were debated. For example, immigration and its social, cultural, and political impacts tended to be seen in an altogether different light on the two sides of the Atlantic. Americans were more likely to focus on the geopolitical implications outside U.S. borders, while Europeans focused on its domestic implications.