The death and revival of Jihadi ideology
Loading...
Authors
Boring, Daniel M.
Subjects
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda Central
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent
Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Arab Spring
Abdullah Azzam
Ayman al-Zawahiri
Osama bin Laden
ideology
framing
global jihad
transnational jihad
terrorist network
Al-Qaeda Central
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent
Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Arab Spring
Abdullah Azzam
Ayman al-Zawahiri
Osama bin Laden
ideology
framing
global jihad
transnational jihad
terrorist network
Advisors
Baylouny, Anne Marie
Date of Issue
2015-06
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Since its inception in 1988, al-Qaeda’s ideological narrative has been a major factor in its ability to mobilize resources, gain new recruits, and garner support from the broader Muslim community. In its nearly three decades of existence, the global jihadi group has experienced great structural change and periods of social upheaval. From the Global War on Terror that weakened the organization’s central leadership to the events of the Arab Spring that exposed the unpopularity of the group’s ideological beliefs, al-Qaeda has remained resilient. Today, al-Qaeda’s ideology is arguably its most important tool in its struggle against adversaries. This thesis analyzes al-Qaeda’s public statements from its birth in Afghanistan to the present and tracks the changes in the group’s framing practices. This thesis argues that al-Qaeda’s central leadership has remained relevant and ensured its own survival by exploiting new opportunities and adjusting its public messaging campaign to accommodate changing strategic environments. The analysis of al-Qaeda’s framing practices is important because the organization remains a major global security threat and its ideology and public messaging has contributed to the group’s survival.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.