The ISIS Reader: Milestone Texts of the Islamic State Movement [Hardcover]

A sober analysis of IS's media and propaganda output, essential for understanding what drives the movement.In the wake of its Caliphate declaration in 2014, the self-described Islamic State has been the focus of countless academic papers, government studies, media commentaries and documentaries. Despite all this attention, persistent myths continue to shape--and misdirect--public understanding and strategic policy decisions. A significant factor in this trend has been a strong disinclination to engage critically with Islamic State's speeches and writings--as if doing so reflects empathy with the movement's goals or, even more absurdly, may itself lead to radicalisation.Going beyond the descriptive and the sensationalist, this volume presents and analyses a series of milestone Islamic State primary source materials. Scholar-practitioners with field experience in confronting the movement explore and contextualise its approach to warfare, propaganda and governance, examining the factors behind its dramatic evolution from failed proto-state in 2010 to standard-bearer of global jihadism in 2014, to besieged insurgency in 2018.The ISIS Readerwill help anyone--students and journalists, military personnel, civil servants and inquisitive observers--to better understand not only the evolution of Islamic State and the dynamics of asymmetric warfare, but the importance of primary sources in doing so.AcknowledgementsIntroductionSection I - Join the CaravanChapter 1 - The First Speeches (1994)Chapter 2 - Zarqawi's Strategy (2004)Section II - Baqiya!Chapter 3 - The Islamic State of Iraq's Formative Documents (2007)Chapter 4 - Advice to the leaders of the Islamic State (2007)Chapter 5 - The Fallujah Memorandum (2009)Section III - The CaliphateChapter 6 - The declaration of the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (2013)Chapter 7 - The Caliphate Rises (2014)Chapter 8 - Global War (2014)Chapter 9 - Women in the Islamic State (2015)Chapter 10 - Propaganda Doctrine (2016)Sectiol/