Embodying the ‘State’ of Daesh: Gender in The Visual Propaganda of the Islamic State Dr Moign Khawaja (Dublin City University) Dr Miraji Mohamed (Dublin City University)
Abstract: Research increasingly shows that gender is a primary discursive tool used to shore up terrorist narratives and discourses. What is less explored are the ways gender is used dynamically with respect to organizational needs, aims, goals, and strength. This article explores how the Islamic State (IS) discursively constructed gender, gender roles, and gender expectations, through its visual propaganda over the rise, height, and downturn of the Caliphate. Building on research on IS’s visual propaganda and specifically their gendered recruitment patterns/ narratives, this study utilizes an interpretative analytical framework to analyse 377 videos published by IS media from July 2014 when the Caliphate was established following the capture of Mosul until March 2018 when IS lost Baghuz, the last town under its control. Our analysis shows that the construction of gender roles and expectations for women and girls versus men and boys shifts throughout the different cycles of the Caliphate. Moreover, our data highlights the complexities of age, gender, location and nationality in the ways idealized gender constructs used by IS represent different groups of women. Crucially, while there is a visibility of women in IS’s propaganda, some women remain more visible than others such that a hierarchy of ‘bodies’ prioritises representations of foreigners (western women) despite local women (i.e., women largely from the Global South) constituting the majority of the women in the Caliphate. This work contributes to our understanding of gendered recruitment narratives and raises crucial questions as to why research on extremism continues to pay less attention to non-western women. Seeking Empowerment through the Digital World: Radicalization of Marginalized Communities in the Time of the Russo-Ukrainian War Markéta Kocmanová (Charles University) Kristián Földes (Charles University) Abstract: The Russian aggression towards Ukraine, influence operations, and the influx of war refugees weaken the Romani ethnic community’s resilience against radicalization and anti-system violence. The circumstances work as a trigger that may instigate behavioral radicalization, as was manifested through a recent series of clashes between the Romani and Ukrainian communities in the Czech Republic. This research examines the relationship between the loss of significance of one’s ethnic identity and radicalization, particularly in the context of prolonged exposure to relative deprivation. Under such circumstances, the individual whose identity is disrespected in the physical realm endeavors to regain recognition and validation on digital platforms. The online domain not only functions as a means to acquire significance but also as a platform for organizing non/violent actions offline. This study utilizes primary data obtained through a series of ethnographic interviews and online audiovisual material. A multimodal approach to analysis chronicles the patterns in which individuals seek to legitimize their identities on social media and the subsequent significance gain. Our research contributes to the literature on radicalization, specifically to the theories of significance quest and relative deprivation. Moreover, it informs policy-making by identifying factors and triggers that contribute to the radicalization of marginalized identities.
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