Description
This paper explores representations of the ‘nation’ and ‘nationalism’ in the English language propaganda produced by the Islamic State, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, and the latter’s predecessors. This analysis enables a broader exploration of the groups’ contrasting strategic narratives, namely their narratives of sovereignty and political legitimacy. This paper draws on constructivist and postructuralist approaches to discourse analysis and concepts and methods drawn from visual methodologies to analyse the discursive practices used by these groups to represent the ‘nation’ and ‘nationalism’ in their propaganda content. This links to discussions within Terrorism Studies about changing trends within the jihadist milieu. It contributes to research on the strategic narratives constructed by jihadist groups and their ability to produce distinctive discourses when drawing on a common stock of cultural models and texts from within the jihadist and broader Islamist milieu. This paper explores the relationship between the ideologies of these respective groups and their social practices, particularly their acts of violence, through an analysis of the representation of these social practices in the groups’ propaganda content. This analysis has a range of important policy implications, informing actors as to the differences between these respective groups and the potential for different approaches to these actors.
