The State of the Islamic State: From Physical World to Virtual Reality

• In Event: Poster Session I

Abstract

Researchers examined how ISIS’s portrayal of its quest for an Islamic State in the real world morphed into one for a state in virtual reality. In July 2014, the Islamic State began publishing its online magazine, Dabiq. In their first issue, entitled “The Return of the Khilafah” Amirul-Mu’minin declared the establishment of the caliphate “O Muslims everywhere….Raise your head high, for today – by Allah’s grace – you have a state and Khilafah” (Dabiq, Issue 1, p. 7). Today, ISIS has abandoned Dabiq magazine in favor of its new online magazine Rumiyah. ISIS has also abandoned its promotion of a physical Islamic State.
Method
Dabiq and Rumiyah Magazines, were content analyzed for changes in calls for hijrah, immigration to the Islamic State, for Classic Jihad, migration to the “Islamic State” as a prerequisite to jihad, Simple Jihad, jihad encouraged in one’s own country, and changes in Islamic State Reports, a regularly featured article in Dabiq that discussed the infrastructure of the Islamic State and civil services were coded.
Results and Discussion
Results reveal that changes in calls for hijrah, Simple Jihad, Classic Jihad, and the content of Islamic State report were related to ISIS’s successes and failures on the ground.

Authors

• Erik Spring Furgal, St. Bonaventure University

• Samantha Gier, St. Bonaventure University

• Robert Russell, St. Bonaventure University

• Robin Maria Valeri, St. Bonaventure University