Faisal Devji argues that new forms of militancy, such as the actions of al-Qaeda, are informed by the same desire
for agency and equality that animates other humanitarian interventions, such as environmentalism and pacifism.
To the militant, victimized Muslims are more than just symbols of ethnic and religious persecution& mdash;they
represent humanity's centuries-long struggle for legitimacy and agency. Acts of terror, therefore, are fueled by
the militant's desire to become a historical actor on the global stage. Though they have yet to build concrete
political institutions, militant movements have formed a kind of global society, and as Devji makes clear, this
society pursues the same humanitarian objectives that drive more benevolent groups.