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The Isis Reader: Milestone Texts of the Islamic State Movement
In the wake of its "Caliphate" declaration in 2014, the self-described Islamic State has been the focus of countless academic papers, government studies, media commentaries and documentaries. Despite all this attention, persistent myths continue to shape--and misdirect--public understanding and strategic policy decisions. A significant factor in this trend has been a strong disinclination to engage critically with Islamic State's speeches and writings--as if doing so reflects empathy with the movement's goals or, even more absurdly, may itself lead to radicalisation.
Going beyond the descriptive and the sensationalist, this volume presents and analyses a series of milestone Islamic State primary source materials. Scholar-practitioners with field experience in confronting the movement explore and contextualise its approach to warfare, propaganda and governance, examining the factors behind its dramatic evolution from failed proto-state in 2010 to standard-bearer of global jihadism in 2014, to besieged insurgency in 2018. The ISIS Reader will help anyone--students and journalists, military personnel, civil servants and inquisitive observers--to better understand not only the evolution of Islamic State and the dynamics of asymmetric warfare, but the importance of primary sources in doing so.
Going beyond the descriptive and the sensationalist, this volume presents and analyses a series of milestone Islamic State primary source materials. Scholar-practitioners with field experience in confronting the movement explore and contextualise its approach to warfare, propaganda and governance, examining the factors behind its dramatic evolution from failed proto-state in 2010 to standard-bearer of global jihadism in 2014, to besieged insurgency in 2018. The ISIS Reader will help anyone--students and journalists, military personnel, civil servants and inquisitive observers--to better understand not only the evolution of Islamic State and the dynamics of asymmetric warfare, but the importance of primary sources in doing so.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2020
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December 18, 2024I won't give a rating because the actual content deserves 1 star but the people who put the book together have done something very important.
Read this a few years ago when I was writing my dystopian novel which featured ISIS as a major feature of the plot - although I don't think I'll be publishing it any time soon however as it needs too much work. I'd say, if you are an academic or researcher studying ISIS professionally, and want to understand the ideology and write about it convincingly, then this is probably the book to read. But otherwise, it's basically very dense, dry, theoretical opinions/analysis by ISIS members and the clerics and scholars who inspired them. It manages to be both boring and terrifying?? I'm glad that this book exists because I think it's important people are trying to understand what we are dealing with here, but for the general reader it is both dull and horrible. A bit like Mein Kampf and the like in this respect.
I thought of this book again because I am currently reading a book about Assad and it reminded me of the things I had read about ISIS. I would personally avoid this one unless you're actually trying to do proper research on the topic - in which case it would be extremely useful. A good book that's way more accessible for general readers is Will McCants' 'The ISIS Apocalypse'.
However, Haroro Ingram's podcast (one of the co authors of this book) about ISIS rule in Mosul is excellent and everyone should listen to it.
Read this a few years ago when I was writing my dystopian novel which featured ISIS as a major feature of the plot - although I don't think I'll be publishing it any time soon however as it needs too much work. I'd say, if you are an academic or researcher studying ISIS professionally, and want to understand the ideology and write about it convincingly, then this is probably the book to read. But otherwise, it's basically very dense, dry, theoretical opinions/analysis by ISIS members and the clerics and scholars who inspired them. It manages to be both boring and terrifying?? I'm glad that this book exists because I think it's important people are trying to understand what we are dealing with here, but for the general reader it is both dull and horrible. A bit like Mein Kampf and the like in this respect.
I thought of this book again because I am currently reading a book about Assad and it reminded me of the things I had read about ISIS. I would personally avoid this one unless you're actually trying to do proper research on the topic - in which case it would be extremely useful. A good book that's way more accessible for general readers is Will McCants' 'The ISIS Apocalypse'.
However, Haroro Ingram's podcast (one of the co authors of this book) about ISIS rule in Mosul is excellent and everyone should listen to it.
January 23, 2023
This book gives good information on Isis but it is kind of overpriced in my honest opinion.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews