Islamic State : the digital caliphate
Abdel Bari Atwan (Author)
"Islamic State stunned the world when it overran an area the size of Britain on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border in a matter of weeks and proclaimed the birth of a new Caliphate. In this timely and important book, Abdel Bari Atwan draws on his unrivaled knowledge of the global jihadi movement and Middle Eastern geopolitics to reveal the origins and modus operandi of Islamic State. Based on extensive field research and exclusive interviews with IS insiders, Atwan outlines the group's leadership structure, as well as its strategies, tactics and diverse methods of recruitment. He traces the Salafi-jihadi lineage of IS, its ideological differences with al-Qa'ida and the deadly rivalry that has emerged between their leaders. Atwan also shows how the group's rapid growth has been facilitated by its masterful command of social media platforms, the 'dark web', Hollywood 'blockbuster'-style videos, and even jihadi computer games, producing a powerful paradox where the ambitions of the Middle Ages have re-emerged in cyber-space. As Islamic State continues to dominate the world's media headlines with horrific acts of ruthless violence, Atwan considers the movement's chances of survival and expansion, and offers indispensable insights on potential government responses to contain the IS threat"--Provided by publisher
Print Book, English, 2015
University of California Press, Oakland, California, 2015
256 pages ; 22 cm
9780520289284, 9780520964037, 0520289285, 0520964039
908990291
Masters of the digital universe
The origins, part one : Iraq
The origins, part two : the Taliban, al-Qa'ida and IS
The origins, part three : Syria
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi : a portrait of "Caliph Ibrahim"
Consolidation and expansion
Within Islamic State
The management of savagery
The caliph's foreign fighters
A dangerous game : the West's attempts to exploit radical Islam
Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism and Islamic State