You are here

Redefining ‘Propaganda’: The Media Strategy of the Islamic State
Charlie WinterRUSI Journal, 17 March 2020
Terrorism and Conflict, Information, Terrorism, Middle East and North Africa
This work was supported by a research award from Facebook as part of its ‘Content Policy Research on Social Media Platforms’ research project. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the author and should not be interpreted as representing the policies, either expressed or implied, of Facebook. In this article, Charlie Winter challenges the way in which the word ‘propaganda’ is used in contemporary discourse around war and terrorism. He considers the case of the Islamic State, using it to demonstrate that the term – as it is conventionally understood – is an inadequate tool when it comes to describing the full range of tactical and strategic approaches to communication that are employed by insurgents today. If anything, he contends, ‘propaganda’ refers to an entire information ecosystem in which different media are geared towards different tasks.
Continue Reading
Become A Member
To access the full text of this article and many other benefits, become a RUSI member.
Iran in the South Caucasus: Adjustment and Evolution
Rose Roth, language and youth
The Politics of UK Accession to Pacific Free Trade Club