Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror

Mamdani argues that terrorism should be understood politically rather than culturally. How might political explanations of terrorism work in concert with civilizational or cultural explanations? Does terrorism take different forms in different cultural contexts? How might counterterrorist efforts change to account for terrorism’s political motivations?

Examine how Mamdani connects US Cold War policies, such as the support for the Afghan mujahideen, to the emergence of global terrorist networks. What are the effects of reframing 9/11 as the culmination of historical trends beginning in the Cold War?

Mamdani compares political Islam and Zionism. How does he argue that religion becomes a justification for violence in both cases? Does religion give rise to violence, or does violence arise for other reasons and then turn to religion for legitimacy?

Mamdani claims that American support for Israel is rooted not just in strategic interests but in shared settler-colonial histories. How might a more honest reckoning with the generational consequences of settler colonialism lead to policy changes for both countries?

Mamdani argues that the war on terror prioritizes vengeance over justice. With this in mind, discuss the ethical foundations of US responses to 9/11. Does Mamdani offer any alternative responses?

Mamdani argues that the war on terror prioritizes vengeance over justice. With this in mind, discuss the ethical foundations of US responses to 9/11. Does Mamdani offer any alternative responses?

Mamdani draws a link between state-sponsored terror and the rise of societal terror. Examine this relationship, including the way in which his analysis challenges conventional distinctions between “legitimate” and “illegitimate” violence?

Why does Mamdani emphasize the need to reckon with America’s foundational crimes such as slavery and indigenous genocide? What links exist between these foundational crimes and present-day foreign policy?