Humanities and Social Sciences

"Women, Gender, and Terrorism" explores women's relationship with terrorism, with a keen eye on the political, gender, racial, and cultural dynamics of the contemporary world.Throughout most of the twentieth century, it was rare to hear about women terrorists. In the new millennium, however, women have increasingly taken active roles in carrying out suicide bombings, hijacking air-planes, and taking hostages in such places as Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, and Chechnya. These women terrorists have been the subject of a substantial amount of media and scholarly attention, but the analysis of women, gender, and terrorism has been sparse and riddled with stereotypical thinking about women's capabilities and motivations. Contributors to "Women, Gender, and Terrorism" expand our understanding of terrorism, one of the most troubling and complicated facets of the modern world.

In this ground-breaking new volume, the social function of 'peace' is explored through the prism of cultural pluralism. Prominent scholars and thinkers from more than 30 different cultures reflect on the notion of peace, and the diversity of their perspectives highlights the different cultural perceptions surrounding the meaning and scope of peace.

Focusing on the 'soft power' aspects of foreign policy formation (as opposed to 'hard power'), Mabon draws a nuanced picture of the diplomatic and international relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the ways in which each state has sought to attain a leading position in both the Middle East and Muslim world. Mabon therefore looks at the ways in which each state has a tendency to provide support for identity groups that threaten the security of the other regime, such as Iran's support for the Shi'a of Saudi Arabia, or Saudi Arabia's attempt to strengthen ties with the ethnic Arabs in Iran. With analysis of this heated and often uneasy relationship and its impact on the wider Middle East, this book is vital for those researching international relations and diplomacy in the region.