| Summary/Abstract |
Since its inception, Daesh has been regarded as a powerful actor by pundits, journalists, and politicians. This paper’s primary aim is to show how, and by what cultural means, Daesh became so powerful, and to study what lies behind its non-coercive power. This paper is part of an ongoing research project designed to study the different aspects of Daesh’s power. Drawing on Gramsci’s ‘hegemonic power,’ and Bourdieu’s ‘cultural capital’, the research explains what it is in Daesh’s cultural power that creates consent. In doing so, this study examines the various English and Arabic content of Daesh’s official media and the documents it has released since June 2014. Additionally, data has been collected from 19 semi-structured expert interviews together with other secondary sources. The findings of the study show that Daesh’s power goes beyond its coercive power. This research acknowledges that Daesh’s ideology is central to its power and is present in all aspects of the Khilafah’s activities, including in its multi-faceted power (i.e., its cultural, media, political and economic power).
|