INCEPTION, PROPAGATION, REINVENTION: AN ANALYSIS OF DAESH’S IDEOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM
INCEPTION, PROPAGATION, REINVENTION: AN ANALYSIS OF DAESH’S IDEOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM

Summary/Abstract: This article examines DAESH's ideology, a key factor that has supported and facilitated the group’s actions for militant recruitment, territorial control, and global expansion. I will present the current state of knowledge and risk assessment, then, by using a theoretical framework rooted in constructivism and military realism, I will synthesize more recent and complex ideas related to this group through interpretations of current knowledge developments. I aim to examine the propaganda presented by DAESH and highlight in a proper, clear form the distinction between Islam and the fundamentalist ideology promoted by the terrorist group. The aim is to show that through a captivating discourse, extremist, radical entities have the ability to attract militants, and that the need remains to combat the ideas promoted by them so that recruitment through religiously based ideology by maximizing the ignorance of the target audience can no longer be feasible avenue to expand their based of supporters, or at least to be diminished so as not to be easily accomplished. The research aims to contribute to the literature by presenting the mechanisms used by DAESH, as well as presenting some strategies that can be applied by the authorities regarding the prevention of radicalization. Among the main elements identified by this study are: DAESH used a truncated message of the Qur'an to legitimize its actions, used emotionally impactful images to attract foreign Muslims to join the fighting in Syria and Iraq, and presented in a graphic and exaggerated manner their successes in the field to attract young combatants. The study has relevant implications and contributes to efforts to combat the actions of extremist-terrorist groups that claim their legitimacy from Islam.

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