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Stig Jarle Hansen

Al-Shabaab in Somalia: The History and Ideology of a Militant Islamist Group 1st Edition

by Stig Jarle Hansen (Author)

4.3 25 ratings

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Al-Shabaab in Somalia: The History and Ideology of a Militant Islamist Group
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Since early 2007 a new breed of combatants has appeared on the streets of Mogadishu and other towns in Somalia: the 'Shabaab', or youth, the only self-proclaimed branch of al-Qaeda to have gained acceptance (and praise) from Ayman al-Zawahiri and 'AQ centre' in Afghanistan. Itself an offshoot
of the Islamic Courts Union, which split in 2006, Shabaab has imposed Sharia law and is also heavily influenced by local clan structures within Somalia itself. It remains an infamous and widely discussed, yet little-researched and understood, Islamist group. Hansen's remarkable book attempts to go
beyond the media headlines and simplistic analyses based on alarmist or localist narratives and, by employing intensive field research conducted within Somalia, as well as on the ground interviews with Shabaab leaders themselves, explores the history of a remarkable organisation, one that has
survived predictions of its collapse on several occasions. Hansen portrays al-Shabaab as a hybrid Islamist organization that combines a strong streak of Somali nationalism with the rhetorical obligations of international jihadism, thereby attracting a not insignificant number of foreign fighters to
its ranks. Both these strands of Shabaab have been inadvertently boosted by Ethiopian, American and African Union attempts to defeat it militarily, all of which have come to nought.

ISBN-10

0199327874
ISBN-13

978-0199327874
Edition

1st
Publisher

Oxford University Press
Publication date

January 15, 2013
Language

English
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
Print length

195 pages
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stig Jarle Hansen is an associate professor at the University of Life Sciences in Oslo where he teaches Norway’s only MA in International Relations. He speaks Somali, Swahili and Arabic.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (January 15, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 195 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0199327874
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199327874
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,770,207 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,044 in East Africa History
- #5,183 in African Politics
- #5,212 in Terrorism (Books)

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4.3 25 ratings

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4.3 out of 5

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A reader

Not recommended

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2023

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The author is probably very knowledgeable, but I can't see why the book is so highly praised. First of all (and I'm sorry to say that), it's badly written. Not that it contains very many typos or linguistic errors. The ideas that are presented are just random and badly organized. Second, the author loses himself in miniscule details, rather than providing more information on the context and the bigger picture. If you are not an expert on Somalia or Al Shabaab already, I'm not sure this is a good book for you.

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-Kris

Best book on Al-Shabaab I have read to date

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015

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As a Terrorist Researcher with a focus on Al-Shabaab I have found this one of the most informative books on the topic. It is well written and has plenty of relevant infomation on Al-Shabaab and their ties with Somalia and the courts.

3 people found this helpful

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Lubov Ivanova

The first book to analyse Al-Shabaab in a theoretical way, with no journalists' emotions. A very professional research.

Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2013

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It seems as if the author was one of them - so thoroughly and detailed. It is a very professional research.

3 people found this helpful

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ANDREW ISOONGO MUNYAO

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2014

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great enlightenment in counter insurgency

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Adolfo Escamill

Highly recommended

Reviewed in Mexico on July 19, 2020

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A must-read for anybody doing academic research on contemporary Somalia or al-Shabaab. It is a really well-documented field work and probably the best there is for the period it covers (up to february 2013).

Greg Adams

Excellent read for those interested in the group!

Reviewed in Canada on May 8, 2019

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Used the book for a paper for my Terrorism and Counterterrorism graduate class. Excellent and thorough analysis and insight on the historical and ideological development of one of al Qaeda's most active and violent affiliates in Africa.

Honeybal Lektor

Eine sehr gelungene Analyse und Darstellung

Reviewed in Germany on November 21, 2014

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Neben dem Islamischen Staat, Al Qaida, den Taliban und Boko Haram ist Al Shabaab wohl mit die bekannteste terroristische Islamistengruppierung weltweit. Spätestens mit dem Westgate-Anschlag 2013 in Kenia rückte die Organisation in den globalen Fokus. Stig Jarle Hansen hat sich eingehend mit dem Werdegang und der Ideologie von Al Shabaab auseinandergesetzt und mit dem vorliegenden Buch ist ihm eine gründlich recherchierte Studie und Analyse sowie eine höchst interssante Lektüre gelungen.

Das Werk ist chronologisch angeordnet und zeichnet den Werdegang von Al Shabaab mit allen Expansions- und Rückzugs- bzw. Rückschlagsphasen sehr präzise nach. Gestützt auf viele Interviews mit Fachleuten, Gegnern aber vor allem auch Shabaab-Mitgliedern und Erkenntnissen aus Somalia entsteht ein sehr gutes Bild über die Beweggründe und ideologischen Motive der Gruppe.

Der Autor verweist darauf, dass eine allgemeine Rückbesinnung auf die Religion nach dem Ausbruch des Bürgerkriegs 1991 insgesamt den Nährboden für islamistische Bewegungen bereitet hat. Ebenso zeigt er auch die internationlen Verbindungen und Kontakte zu Al Qaida auf und ordnet alle Ereignisse in ihren regionalen und geopolitischen Rahmen ein. Natürlich kommt auch die Bedeutung des in Somalia so mächtigen Clan-Systems zur Sprache. Auch die Rolle ausländischer Interventionen, allen voran der Einmarsch äthiopischer Truppen als Brandbeschleuniger, kommt zur Sprache.

So entsteht im Laufe des Buches ein sehr differenziertes und vielschichtiges Bild einer Organisation, die speziell in den Mainstream-Medien oft so verkürzt und verfälscht als monolithische Einheit dargestellt wird. Der Autor bietet somit jedem interessierten Leser die Möglichkeit, sich ein realistischeres Bild zu holen, um Ereignisse und Entwicklungen in diesem Kontext deutlich besser verstehen zu können.

Somit ist dieses Buch eine interessante, spannende und anspruchsvolle Lektüre, für alle Menschen, die mehr als Schlagzeilen erfahren wollen. Dass dem Autor ein so vielschichtiges Bild von Al Shabaab gelungen ist, verdient aufgrund der Gefährlichkeit und Brisanz derartiger Recherchen vor Ort besondere Anerkennung.

Von mir absolute Leseempfehlung!

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