Propaganda and Life Narratives

In the field of global politics, our current global situation is a hotbed of conflict. One particularly prevalent example of the conflict in our world is the ISIS situation in Syria. ISIS is a group of Sunni jihadists led by 43-year-old Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, working predominately in Syria and Iraq. ISIS has been a common feature in the western news recently due to the public beheadings of journalists James Foley, Steven Sotloff and British aid worker Alan Henning. These videos have reached western audiences and are readily available through a quick Google search. ISIS has been shown to have a strong social media presence. The organization has a twitter page as well and a “gift shop” in which supports can buy merchandise. Through the ISIS social media campaigning, a blog entitled “diary of a muhjirah” has appeared. There have been accounts of young western women leaving their homes to marry ISIS fighters, and to most westerns (including myself) this concept seems utterly unimaginable. But it is not unimaginable for a women whom goes by the username of “Bird of Jannah” who blogs about her live as an ISIS wife. The tumblr blog accounts her day to day life, pictures of her Syria, exerts from the Quran and exemplifies her love for her life with ISIS. In the blog she claims to be a western woman (her exact country of origins is never revealed) and states that coming to Syria was the best choice she ever made. Regarding the blog as truth projects a different image then that radical, fundamentalist, violent ISIS which is presented in western media. Though many researchers have their doubts about the authenticity of the “Bird of Jannah’s” story. Many researchers believe that the blog of a modern western women turn ISIS bride is an elaborate propaganda scheme from ISIS. If this proves to be the case, this terrorist organization is utilising a life narrative to project a certain viewpoint. If the same statements were released through an official ISIS source, the credibility would be lost. But through a woman whom is intelligent and well versed in tumlbr, the cause gains a level credibility. This usage of life narratives as propaganda may prove to be very effective, using the reliability of an imaginary western woman to gain support to their cause.

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