Inventing The Axis Of Evil

Inventing the Axis of Evil

The Routledge History of the Devil in the Western Tradition

Covering a period of 2000 years, this book offers an interdisciplinary exploration of the devil's role in the Western tradition and draws from history, religion, art, literature, media studies, and anthropology to provide a multifaceted view of the devil over time. The Routledge History of the Devil in the Western Tradition examines topics such as the devil's scriptural origins, medieval development, and role in witch-hunting and possession cases, as well as the influence of the demonic on contemporary issues like terrorism, political polarisation, and digital culture. Collectively, this volume demonstrates that the demonological imagination has served as part of the glue holding Western societies together. While contexts, misfortunes, and anxieties have shifted according to time and place, many of the dynamics that underlie the devil’s construction and detection have important continuities. This book, then, provides an innovative history of the anti-West—the West as seen through its anxieties, fears, and attempts to define and police itself and its boundaries. With contributions from 28 leading scholars in the field, this volume is of interest to all students and scholars of the devil in the Western world.

Combating Terrorism in the 21st Century

This combination A–Z encyclopedia and primary document collection provides an authoritative and enlightening overview of U.S. anti- and counterterrorism politics, policies, attitudes, and actions related to both foreign and domestic threats, with a special emphasis on post-9/11 events. This book provides a compelling overview of U.S. laws, policies, programs, and actions in the realms of anti- and counterterrorism, as well as comprehensive coverage of the various domestic and foreign terrorist organizations threatening America, including their leaders, ideologies, and practices. These entries are supplemented with a carefully selected collection of primary sources that track the evolution of U.S. anti- and counterterrorism policies and political debate. These documents will not only illuminate major events and turning points in America's fight against terror—both foreign and homegrown—but also help readers understand debates about the effectiveness, morality, and constitutionality of controversial policies that have either been implemented or proposed, from waterboarding to targeted assassination to indefinite incarceration at Guantánamo Bay. In addition, this resource shows how political controversies over anti- and counterterrorism strategies are spilling over into other areas of American life, from debates about privacy rights, government surveillance, and anti-Muslim actions and beliefs to arguments about whether U.S. firearms policies are a boon to terrorists.