Book Review. Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou (2018) A theory of ISIS: Political violence and the transformation of the global order. London: Pluto Press, 260 pp., ISBN: 9780745399096

Akshata Nair

doi:10.35467/sdq/209446

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Title

Book Review. Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou (2018) A theory of ISIS: Political violence and the transformation of the global order. London: Pluto Press, 260 pp., ISBN: 9780745399096

Authors

Akshata Nair ^{[ 1 ]}

^{[ 1 ]} Department of International Studies, FLAME University, Gate No. 1270, Lavale 412115, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Year of publication

2025

Published in

Security and Defence Quarterly

Journal year: 2025 | Journal number: Online first

Article type

review article

Publication language

polish

Keywords

PL

Bezpieczeństwo międzynarodowe
Islam
Terroryzm

EN

International security
ISIS
Terrorism

Abstract

EN Global security discourse remains an evolving landscape and is marked by renewed interstate conflicts. A topic that continues to maintain relevance, however, is that of terrorism. A theory of ISIS: Political violence and the transformation of the global order by Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou goes beyond the superficial reductionist understandings of ISIS that prevail in common discourse. Mohamedou does not merely present ISIS as the cult-like extremist group that one may initially understand it to be, but carries out a clinical tracing of its root cause to provide a more holistic view of it. An evaluation of the book reveals the many benefits of theorising conflict beyond rigid realist frameworks and how a more nuanced approach grounded in history and culture can benefit security discourse. This review contends that Mohamedou’s theorisation of ISIS exemplifies how security analyses grounded in postcolonial and post-structural perspectives can provide nuanced and more effective frameworks compared to the conventional paradigms that dominate policy discussions.

Date of online publication

18.10.2025

DOI

10.35467/sdq/209446

URL

https://securityanddefence.pl/Book-Review-Mohamed-Mahmoud-Ould-Mohamedou-2018-A-theory-of-ISIS-Political-violence,209446,0,2.html

Comments

Corresponding author Akshata Nair Department of International Studies, FLAME University, Gate No. 1270, Lavale 412115, Pune, Maharashtra, India

License type

CC BY (attribution alone)

Open Access Mode

publisher's website