Social media has played a central role in the digital era for almost a century, influencing almost all aspects of life. The use of social media in warfare is threatening not only one country but the whole global community, is a recent development. The famous speech by Abu Muhammad al-Adnani on social media inspired the bloody month of Ramadan in 2016 and showed the deadly power of social media inspired attacks and what the Islamic State is capable of achieving. Although the terrorist group has lost territory over the last few weeks of combat both in Syria and Iraq, and is on the edge of losing their main capital Mosul, IS still remains a hybrid threat. Consisting of military powers and an unmatched affinity of using social media as a cyber-war weapon, IS will continue to be a severe danger to the global community.
This book aims to foster a deeper understanding of the use of social media for recruiting efforts by the so-called Islamic State (IS), and to analyse its propaganda methods in order to develop possible countermeasures. A special focus will be put on the method of recruitment of young Western foreign fighters. These individuals are the easiest to recruit for ISIS and pose the greatest risk to the global community, especially in regards to home grown terrorism and so-called lone wolf attacks. Since this area of research is very new and quickly evolving, the field still needs extensive research.
It is difficult to analyse the use of social media content by the Islamic State due to limited information access and flow (encryption, propaganda, verification and inconsistency). The Islamic State is a military threat on the battleground as well as a potential cyber threat for the international community. Despite these challenging circumstances, this book will provide a new theoretical model based on the marketing model of a customer journey in connection with the main principles of storytelling. Ultimately, this research work will try to provide experts with a new and modern approach of analysis as a base for possible counter measures to weaken and combat the current threat posed by the Islamic State.
From the text:
- Islamic State;
- Terrorism;
- Social Media;
- Propaganda Institutions;
- Radicalisation
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Content and organization
1.2 Literature review
2 Introduction to modern terrorism
2.1 Definition of terrorism
2.2 Definition of marketing of terrorism
2.3 Terrorism and publicity
3 The Islamic State
3.1 Early stages of the Islamic State
3.2 Masterminds of the Islamic State
3.3 Ideology of the Islamic State
3.4 Structure and governance – management model of IS
3.5 Management model – modern businesses
4 Media wing of the Islamic State
4.1 Important propaganda institutions
4.2 Brand of the Islamic State
4.3 Role of social media IS
5 Analysis of the use of social media by the Islamic State
5.1 IS Goals
5.2 The target audience of the Islamic State
5.3 Foreign fighters role in the caliphate
5.4 Generation Jihad – Millennials
5.5 Main social media communication platforms
5.6 The problem of encryption, banning and missing information
6 Recruitment Customer Journey – Jihadist journey of radicalisation
6.1 From the AIDA model to the Customer Journey
6.2 New costumer journey
6.3 Conclusion of new Customer Journey
7 Narrowcasting the power of Storytelling
7.1 Storytelling themes/ frames used by the IS
7.2 Jihad and the frame of war
7.3 Religious appeal to all Muslims to join the utopia
7.4 Storytelling as military recruitment
8 Counter Terrorism discussion and recommendation
8.1 Reporting and deleting accounts – Freedom of Speech and efficiency
8.2 Counter measurements
8.3 Cooperation and collaboration
9 Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This thesis examines the use of social media by the Islamic State (IS) as a sophisticated tool for radicalization and recruitment, specifically targeting Generation Y. It aims to develop a novel theoretical model based on the "Customer Journey" to understand how extremist ideologies are distributed and to provide insights for effective counter-measures against digital recruitment.
- Analysis of the Islamic State's organizational and management structure as a basis for their media operations.
- Evaluation of social media as a core communication platform for propaganda and recruitment.
- Identification of Generation Y (Millennials) as the primary target audience due to specific socio-demographic factors and needs.
- Investigation into the application of storytelling and narrative strategies in extremist propaganda.
- Recommendation of counter-terrorism strategies, focusing on alternative narratives rather than solely relying on censorship.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Content and organization
The Islamic State is a new kind of terrorist organisation using social media as a weapon to wage war. This thesis focuses on the analysis of use of social media by the Islamic State and will present possible counter to the extremist measures. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the basic terms of marketing. Basic marketing terms will be also given in a separated glossary. Since the emergence of the Islamic State had several names. This thesis will refer to the Islamic State either as the Islamic State, the name used by the terrorism organization since 2014, or as abbreviation IS or Daesh, the term mostly used by the Western media. Due to the many different names and a diverse use of the names in the current literature, it is however possible that cited quotes might include the terms like ISIL, ISIS, ISI, Islamic State in Iraq or al-Sham or Islamic State in Iraq and Syria all referring to the Islamic State. The Islamic State is a Middle Eastern terror organization, which is why there are certain terms in Arabic, which will be explained in a second glossary.
The Islamic State is a terrorist organisation with a sophisticated marketing strategy that is regionally adapted. This thesis will focus on the marketing strategy used for Western countries. The main goals of the Islamic State are marketing, financing, image branding and recruiting. As analysing all these aspects would exceed the format of this thesis, there will be a focus on the recruitment of young foreign fighters. The processes of radicalization and recruitment by the Islamic State consist of online and offline measurements, this thesis will however only analyse online measurements over social media.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the role of social media in modern warfare and outlines the scope of the analysis, focusing on the communication strategies of the Islamic State.
2 Introduction to modern terrorism: Defines terrorism, explores the relationship between mass media and extremist groups, and introduces the concept of the "marketing of terrorism."
3 The Islamic State: Analyzes the history, ideological foundations, leadership, and management structure of the Islamic State as a self-sustaining entity.
4 Media wing of the Islamic State: Examines the propaganda machinery, brand identity, and media infrastructure used by the IS to disseminate content.
5 Analysis of the use of social media by the Islamic State: Investigates IS goals, target audiences—specifically Millennials—and the specific platforms used to conduct recruitment.
6 Recruitment Customer Journey – Jihadist journey of radicalisation: Proposes a new theoretical framework combining customer experience models with the radicalization process to map recruitment paths.
7 Narrowcasting the power of Storytelling: Analyzes the use of narratives, themes, and storytelling techniques to influence the target audience’s worldview and emotional state.
8 Counter Terrorism discussion and recommendation: Evaluates current methods like account deletion and proposes counter-narrative strategies based on the identified touchpoints.
9 Conclusion: Summarizes the findings and emphasizes the necessity of a coordinated, global effort to combat the digital threat posed by the Islamic State.
Keywords
Islamic State, Social Media, Terrorism, Radicalization, Recruitment, Customer Journey, Storytelling, Millennials, Propaganda, Jihad, Dawa, Digital Caliphate, Counter-terrorism, Brand Identity, Marketing of Terrorism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The thesis explores how the Islamic State utilizes social media as a sophisticated marketing and recruitment tool to spread its ideology and attract new followers globally.
What are the primary themes covered in the book?
The book covers the organizational structure of the IS, its propaganda brand strategy, the radicalization of Western youth (Generation Y), and the application of marketing principles like the "Customer Journey" to terror recruitment.
What is the main objective of this study?
The primary goal is to foster a deeper understanding of the IS communication strategy to enable the development of better counter-measures and alternative narratives.
Which scientific methodology does the author use?
The author conducts a secondary literature research and analysis, mapping existing marketing theories (such as the AIDA model and Customer Journey) to the processes of jihadist radicalization and propaganda distribution.
What is addressed in the main body of the work?
The main body investigates the ideological roots of the IS, the structure of its "media wing," the demographic targeting of Millennials, and the specific role of storytelling as a psychological recruitment vehicle.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The most relevant keywords include Islamic State, Social Media, Radicalization, Customer Journey, Storytelling, and Counter-terrorism.
How does the "Customer Journey" model help in understanding IS recruitment?
The model provides a structured way to analyze the "touchpoints" where individuals encounter extremist content, allowing experts to see how the IS leads potential recruits from initial exposure to full commitment.
Why is Generation Y identified as the target audience?
Research suggests that Millennials, as digital natives who are often disillusioned and seeking belonging or purpose, are particularly susceptible to the IS's online narrative and "modern brand" marketing.
What is the author's stance on current counter-terrorism measures?
The author argues that while censorship and deleting accounts are partial solutions, they are insufficient due to the decentralized nature of the internet, and suggests a stronger focus on providing effective counter-narratives.
- Quote paper
- Lisa Wiechert (Author), 2016, The Marketing of Terrorism. Analysing the Use of Social Media by ISIS, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/356498
