International terrorism motivated by a religious imperative: The 'big chill' of the 'glocalization' era

This thesis argues that conflicting dynamics facilitated by the globalization-fragmentation symbiosis (alternatively known as the "glocalzation" phenomenon) define the nature of contemporary, and set the course for future, terrorism.; The al-Qa'ida phenomenon is definitely a product of the gloc alization era. The irony is striking: radical Wahhabi movement that al-Qa'ida propagates is a manifestation of malevolent fragmentation; however in implementing it, al-Qa'ida relies extensively on the benevolent processes of globalization. Consider: al-Qa'ida is a trans-continentally dispersed network of terror (globalization), which is motivated by locally inspired doctrines (fragmentation), which it seeks to materialize on a global scale (globalization). Hence, it is transparent that al-Qa'ida's rationale and operations predicate on the central premises of globalization. However, despite this conspicuous correlation, the topic has received only marginal attention in the literature. It is for this reason that this thesis analyzes the threat of religiously inspired global terrorist network through a prism of globalization-fragmentation symbiosis.