Islamic State: Framing Colonialism in Anti-Western Discourse

Abstract

The colonial past in Iraq and Syria has left a legacy, of which nation-state borders and nationalism have had the most impact. The ideology of IS is largely centred on restoring the Caliphate, using the concept of Ummah. This clashes with the colonial legacy, and has led to an anti-Western discourse in which colonialism is a returning element, especially the borders and nationalism aspects. This research analyses the role of colonialism in the anti-western discourse of IS through the scope of framing and performances. Framing has effect on the mobilisation of violent collective action, and is thus a relevant perspective to research IS. IS especially frames the Sykes-Picot Agreement in their discourse, as in their eyes this agreement has led to the current borders. Moreover, IS clearly frames anti-nationalism in their discourse. The research concludes with remarks and suggestions for future research.