Revolutionaries and Global Politics: War Machines from the Bolsheviks to Isis

This book explores the discontents of the global order and how modern revolutionaries seek to disrupt the existing Westphalian order of modern states,yet are inevitably entangled with it and even reproduce its founding principles. It draws on Deleuze and Guattari's notion of war machine and understanding of hybridity to understand revolutionary agency in global politics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 204 pages
Publication date: 28 February 2023
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

This book delves into the discontents of the global order, offering a fresh perspective on the concept and practice of revolutionary movements as an international phenomenon. Drawing on the insights of Deleuze and Guattari's concept of the war machine and their understanding of hybridity, the author introduces the concept of hybrid revolutionaries as movements that aim to overturn the existing global order while simultaneously drawing on and even reproducing some of its founding principles.

The book advances current theoretical and practical debates on the state system, revolution, and violence, deploying the conceptual framework to situate ISIS within larger histories of discontents of the international order. By examining the everyday political practices of these movements, the author challenges traditional understandings of revolutionary agency and offers a novel understanding of how global politics is shaped by the interactions between different revolutionary actors.

Throughout the book, the author explores a range of global revolutionaries, including the Bolsheviks, Palestinian revolutionary groups, Khomeinists, insurgents in Iraq, and ISIS. By comparing and contrasting their practices and strategies, the author seeks to identify commonalities and differences in the ways that revolutionaries seek to disrupt and transform the global order.

One of the key insights of the book is that modern revolutionaries are not solely opposed to the existing Westphalian order of modern states but are also inevitably entangled with it and reproduce in their conduct some of its founding principles. The author argues that this hybridity is a result of the complex and interconnected nature of the global political system, where different actors and movements are influenced by a range of historical, cultural, and economic factors.

The book also discusses the role of violence in revolutionary movements, challenging the notion that violence is always a negative or destructive force. Instead, the author argues that violence can be a necessary tool for revolutionaries to disrupt the existing order and challenge the power of dominant elites. However, the author also emphasizes the importance of nonviolent resistance and other forms of political action in achieving long-term social and political change.

Overall, this book provides a valuable contribution to the study of revolutionary movements and global politics. By exploring the complex relationships between different revolutionary actors and movements, the author offers a novel understanding of the dynamics and complexities of the global political system. The book will be of interest to scholars and researchers in the fields of political science, international relations, and social theory.

Weight: 496g
Dimension: 240 x 161 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399505550