Appropriation in Islamic State Propaganda: A Theoretical and Analytical Framework of Types and Dimensions

Abstract

The concept of ‘appropriation’ offers an insightful analytical approach to so-called Islamic State’ (IS)’s media work and texts as propaganda. However, ‘appropriation’ bears a vast ambiguous range of meanings. Therefore, we propose three broad types of appropriation in order to clarify the term: interpretative, practical, and expressive appropriation. After discussing the notion of ISIS as an ideologically and epistemologically threatening ‘appropriator’ and criticizing the notion or metaphor of IS’s “Hollywood” propaganda we distinguish and exemplify different dimensions of appropriation in the area of IS’s ‘public relations’. By doing so and based on our research of IS video propaganda we aim to offer a systematic framework to describe and analyse jihadi communication as strategic or rhetoric communication as much as a cultural representative means of production and expression.