Root Causes of Suicide Terrorism: The Globalization of Martyrdom Edited by Ami Pedahzur Suicide terrorism in its modern form appeared in the 1980s when the Shiite Hezbollah was the first organization to use this strategy in Lebanon. Its subsequent adoption by many organizations in the Middle East and Asia, the majority either Arab or Muslim, led many scholars to emphasize the role of Islam in suicide terrorism's emergence and spread. Bringing together leading scholars in the field of terrorism studies, amongst them Marc Sageman, Leonard Weinberg and Mia Bloom, this volume sets out to reassess the root causes of suicide terrorism at elite and rank-and-file levels. Challenging the widespread argument that suicide bombing is closely connected to Islam, the contributors have approached the topic from a socio-cultural perspective and have juxtaposed the role of religion, and specifically Islam, in generating suicide terrorism with power struggles between elites and state control. This volume will be essential reading for students of terrorism, security studies, Political science and Middle Eastern politics. Ami Pedahzur is an Associate Professor at the Department of Government, University of Texas, Austin.