Understanding the Islamic State (ISIS)

Featuring Dr. Nabil Echchaibi (University of Colorado, Boulder) and Dr. Kareem El Damanhoury (Georgia State University). Each scholar will present findings from their current research, on intersections between ISIS' use of various media and its shifting political fortunes.

On March 23, 2019, the last ISIS-controlled territory in Syria was liberated. While the U.S. administration has been quick to declare the defeat of the Caliphate, many analysts argue that ISIS’ ideology continues to attract new supporters. Media and communication play a crucial role in ISIS’ recruitment, and sophisticated analyses of the mediation of global extremism are needed more than ever.

Research presentations and discussions:
"Is it One Caliphate or More? Evaluating ISIS and Al-Qaeda’s Mediated Statehood" by Kareem El Damanhoury, PhD, Georgia State University
"Violence and the Apocalypse of Hope in an Age of Hypermediated Flows" by Nabil Echchaibi, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder

This event was funded by a Dean’s Award for Interdisciplinary Studies provided by the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences at the University of Denver.