Political Science Commons^™

Al-Qaeda Versus Boko Haram: Ideologies, Goals, And Outcomes, Radhika Shah

International Journal of Security Studies

Since the 9/11 attacks, Islam has remained at the center of the global terrorism debate. In order to weaken Islamist terrorist groups, it is crucial to understand nuance differences in their ideologies and goals. This research focuses on two such groups, Boko Haram and al-Qaeda, and argues that despite the two groups’ Salafi-jihadist roots, the groups harbor sharply different ideologies and goals—and thus, different outcomes. The research finds that al-Qaeda adheres to a rigid organizational and goal-oriented structure, while Boko Haram’s bureaucracy is less clear and less organized. While al-Qaeda has a number of stated goals, Boko ...