History of IS – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

The century since the first world war is littered with the broken promises of Muslim rulers to bring about a transition to more representative forms of government. AAP/Asmaa Abdelatif

March 1, 2016

How the political crises of the modern Muslim world created the climate for Islamic State

Harith Bin Ramli, SOAS, University of London

The rise of Islamic State and its declaration of the caliphate can be read as part of a wider story that has unfolded since the formation of modern nation states in the Muslim world.

Islamic State fighters on a tank take part in a military parade along the streets of northern Raqqa province. Reuters/Stringer

February 17, 2016

If Islamic State is based on religion, why is it so violent?

Aaron W. Hughes, University of Rochester

Despite what we’re told, religion isn’t inherently peaceful. People kill in the name of their religion, just as they love in its name.

Pages from a copy of the Koran dated back to 1284, displayed at an exhibition in the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. Reuters/Fadi Al-Assaad

February 16, 2016

Islamic State lays claim to Muslim theological tradition and turns it on its head

Harith Bin Ramli, SOAS, University of London

What makes Islamic State different to traditional Islam isn’t necessarily the religious texts the group uses.

A flag-waving Islamic State fighter takes part in a military parade along the streets of Syria’s northern Raqqa province. Reuters/Stringer

February 15, 2016

Understanding Islamic State: where does it come from and what does it want?

James L. Gelvin, University of California, Los Angeles

How far back in history does one have to go to find the roots of the so-called Islamic State? The first article in our series on the genesis of the terrorist outfit considers some fundamentals.

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