The Rationality of an Eschatological Movement: The Islamist State in Iraq and Syria

Competitive Governance and Displacement Decisions Under Rebel Rule: Evidence from the Islamic State in Iraq

“…However, previous research on the group has been—for the most part—limited by the impossibility of collecting data in territory controlled by the group. Most studies of IS governance have been based on surveys or interviews with “leavers”—those displaced inside Syria and Iraq as well as refugees who have fled to other countries (Baczko et al 2016)—or on proxy variables that can be measured from a distance such as nighttime lighting (Robinson et al 2017) and internet-based propaganda (Winter 2018). Such data is susceptible to particular biases.…”

Middle Eastern Balance: Achieving Security, Peace, and Countering Extremism

“…Understanding the role of non-state actors: The Middle East is home to numerous non-state actors, including armed groups, civil society organizations, and religious institutions, which play significant roles in shaping the region's political and social landscape. Further research on the motivations, strategies, and interactions of these actors can provide critical insights into their influence on regional stability, peacebuilding efforts, and the spread of extremist ideologies (Baczko, Dorronsoro, & Quesnay, 2018). This research may also inform policies that more effectively engage or counter the actions of non-state actors, contributing to improved regional security.…”

“…In addition to the involvement of states in shaping the political landscape of the Middle East, non-state actors such as militias, insurgent groups, and transnational terrorist organizations also play a significant role in the region (Baczko et al, 2018). These groups often exploit the chaos and power vacuums created by conflicts and political instability to advance their agendas, which can include territorial control, the imposition of their ideological views, or challenging the legitimacy of existing governments (Cockburn, 2015).…”

The socialpsychology of Islamist terror – interdisciplinary perspectives on violence and ISIS totalitarian structures

“…This is a human 'primal fear' of archetypal quality which causes the followers of Islamist terror to quickly withdraw into their own world or to force others to join them by using the threat of weapons. Another form of typical defence is manifested in their propaganda designed to wrap their followers in an anti-Western cocoon of fog (Bazcko et al, 2016). As a result of their conception of Islam, people have repeatedly been brutally murdered on the basis of their homosexuality (ISIS's persecution of gay people, 2017).…”

“…This means that ISIS members and people who have joined ISIS create propaganda content (Neumann, 2015). They make a targeted selection of religious narratives from Islam, especially for the online context (Bazcko et al, 2016;Maskur, 2018).…”