GS101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Al-Qaeda, Ottoman Empire, Ummah
Readings from week 11 will not be on exam, but prior will be
Multiple choice covers everything from week before midterm (economics)
Short answer define and discuss (3 out of 5)
Essay question
Questions about readings usually have overlap in lectures
Exam review session
Thurs dec 8 from 10-11:50am
Mock exam fri dec 9 at noon
Lecture continued from Nov 23…
Terror and Modernity
● The use of terror by revolutionary movements is a very modern phenomenon
● End justifies the means - a very modern logic
● “The terror” initially referred to the reign of terror in the aftermath of the French revolution
○ Revolutionaries use violence to reach ideals
Al-Qaeda’s Modernity
● John Gray: modern revolutionary movements believe that a better type of society can be
brought about by the systematic use of violence (ends justifies the means)
● “Creative destruction” refers to the violent overthrow of an existing order to bring about a
new social order: a thoroughly modern idea
● Steger: al Qaeda seeks to rebuild a unified global ummah through a global jihad against
unbelief, and bin Laden was simply like a CEO of a modern network of groups
Al-Qaeda and Globalization
● The word “al-Qaeda” means various things: the base; the rules; the order of
fundamentals
● As a movement, al-Qaeda desires an alternative globalization:
○ New distribution of power
○ Re-enchantment of modernity: reintegrate religion into other spheres of life
○ Do away with the secular nation-state in which religious values do not inform
political ideals
○ Utopian view of a pan-Islamic state ruled by a caliph
Al-Qaeda’s View of 9/11
● NOT a clash of civilizations of Islam against Christianity or Muslim world against
Christiandom
● Justification of attack builds on widespread grievances:
○ 80 years of political weakness: collapse of the Ottoman empire and the
emergence of divisive nation-states
○ The birth of Israel and the eviction of Palestinians from their homelands
(continued form of colonialism)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
○ Military dictators, corrupt monarchs and puppet governments in Muslim societies
obedient to Western masters
○ Westerners value their own lives more than the lives of others
■ Eg. we feel more strongly about attacks in Paris than attacks in
Afghanistan
Al-Qaeda’s View: Us Versus Them
● No innocent victims in 9/11 because residents of a democratic country are responsible
for the decisions that leaders take in our name
○ Does not recognize that not everyone voted for the ruling party
● If “collateral damage” is acceptable for Western powers, then the killing of innocents in
the West is acceptable for the cause
● The Muslims working in the World Trade Centres were hypocrites
Al-Qaeda and American Ideals
● Bin Laden referred to the desire for freedom and self-rule, as elaborated in American
ideals
● Points to the double standard in American foreign policy: rhetoric of freedom and human
rights at home but support for tyrants and dictators abroad
● 9/11 not an attack on the democratic ideals of democracy and freedom, but on the
military and economic centres of America power and dominance
Conclusions
● No universal definition of terrorism
● But terrorism involves violence against civilians and noncombatants for political or social
means
● The use of terror by revolutionary movements is a very modern phenomenon
● Al-Qaeda is a thoroughly modern distortion of Islamic ethics of war
● The creation of al-Qaeda and the ensuing War on Terror is a lingering effect of the Cold
War
P
U
T
A
Next Lecture (same class)
Terror and Modernity
Review
● No universal definition of terrorism
● But terrorism involves violence against civilians and noncombatants for political or social
means
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Readings from week 11 will not be on exam, but prior will be. Multiple choice covers everything from week before midterm (economics) Short answer define and discuss (3 out of 5) Questions about readings usually have overlap in lectures. End justifies the means - a very modern logic. The terror initially referred to the reign of terror in the aftermath of the french revolution. John gray: modern revolutionary movements believe that a better type of society can be brought about by the systematic use of violence (ends justifies the means) Creative destruction refers to the violent overthrow of an existing order to bring about a new social order: a thoroughly modern idea. Steger: al qaeda seeks to rebuild a unified global ummah through a global jihad against unbelief, and bin laden was simply like a ceo of a modern network of groups. The word al-qaeda means various things: the base; the rules; the order of fundamentals.
