Jihadists of North Africa and the Sahel: Local Politics and Rebel Groups (Cambridge University Press, 2020)Drawing on case studies from Algeria, Libya, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania, Alexander Thurston(religious studies, 2013) examines jihadist movements from the inside, uncovering their activities and internal struggles over the past three decades. Highlighting the calculations that jihadist field commanders and clerics make, Thurston shows how leaders improvise, both politically and reli–giously, as they adjust to fast-moving conflicts. Featuring critical analysis of Arabic-language jihadist statements, this book offers unique insights into the inner workings of jihadist orga–nizations and sheds new light on the phenomenon of mass-based jihadist movements and proto-states.
This article originally ran in the PAS Newsletter, Winter 2021, Volume 31, Number 2