Columbia University Press has released a new collection of essays on jihadist thought, including jihadist political programs, Contextualising Jihadi Thought (2012). The editors are Jeevan Deol (Cambridge) and Zaheer Kazmi (Oxford). The publisher’s description follows.

In recent decades, transnational jihadi entities such as Al-Qaeda as well as national and regional militant groups have attracted a great deal of media and scholarly attention. Policy agendas worldwide are now intensely focused on countering militant jihadist thought. Yet few studies fully comprehend the contours of this phenomenon and its rich social and intellectual making.

Departing from the traditional security studies approaches that have characterized so much research in this area, Contextualising Jihadi Thought bridges existing disciplines and fields of study to create a framework for understanding jihadi movements, ideologies, intellectual histories, political engagements, and changing geographies. Contributors work in a range of specializations—including history, anthropology, political science, diplomacy, and religious studies—and conduct thorough, detailed analyses of jihadism and its impact in Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Edited by a scholar and an experienced diplomat, this volume balances theory and practice with unprecedented skill.