Counter-Terrorism Narrative Strategies [Hardcover]

Both in terms of its political urgency and the larger questions it raises between narrative and conflict, this work awakens a sense of: why hasn't this been talked about before?This excellent work should be required reading for all involved in the non-kinetic end of counter-terrorism. After its read, we MUST employ these lessons as a part of a comprehensive multi-national effort that effectively supports the counter-terrorism effort.In a very real way, Dr. Maan has pushed the boundaries of colonial/post-colonial theory on deconstructing dominant and coercive discourses by enacting a counter-terrorist narrative and by proposing a new American narrative.Counter-Terrorism makes a connection, unique to terrorism studies, between the mechanisms of colonizing narratives and psychological warfare aimed at recruitment. There is an urgent need to understand the narrative tactics of terrorist recruitment and an equal if not greater need to destabilize and exploit the weaknesses of those narratives.Understanding and harnessing the persuasive powers of narrative is central to U.S. and international counter-terrorism efforts. There is an urgent need to understand the narrative tactics of terrorist recruitment and an equal if not greater need to destabilize and exploit the weaknesses of those narratives.Maan makes a connection, unique to terrorism studies, between the mechanisms of colonizing narratives and psychological warfare aimed at the recruit. The power of both relies on misidentification, both types of narratives encourage individuals to take actions contrary to their best interests, and both are insidious: they are continued internally without the implementation of external physical force.While these narrative strategies have been powerful, Maan makes the argument, also unique to terrorism studies, that certain types of compositional structures lend themselves to manipulation and the weakness of those structures can be exploited from a security standpoint.Chapter 1: IntrlS*