From the Arab Spring to the Rise of ISIS:

Power vacuum, cyber apocalypse and

culture of counter-modernity

Lauren Davila and Winston Cheung

Main Questions:

What led to the power vacuum in the Middle East?

How is ‘cyber-apocalypse’ related to Arab Springs and ISIS?

Why are fundamentalist beliefs common responses found in Arab Springs and ISIS?

What led to the power vacuum in the Middle East?

Policy of Dual-Containment

“U.S. efforts to isolate both Iraq and Iran through tough economic sanctions against the former and more modest restrictions against the latter.” Cleveland (507)

AdAd_((Add quotation/ picture by security advisor)

September 11, 2001

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Symbols of freedom,

U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

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Operation “Enduring Freedom”

Supported by 37 UN nations

President Bush’s Speech Declaring a “War on Terror”- Sept. 20, 2001.S

U.S. Occupation of Iraq

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UN Security Council Resolution 1441:Hussayn must

March 30th,

U.S. Occupation of Iraq

Mission Accomplished? Implications for Regional Stability

“But if the Americans were to invade Iraq under the banner of freedom, they would have to assume responsibility that comes with imperial power, including the responsibility to remain involved in Iraq for at least a decade” (McAlister, 266).

“By failing to deal quickly and realistically with public security and economic stability, the American occupiers created a climate of impunity that started the country on a descent into chaos” (Cleveland, 511).

Parallels between ‘media-ization’ in Gulf War and social media movement in Arab Springs and ISIS

Media-ization of war and social movements

“The most complete erasure of complicating social differences through the convergence of private selfhood and social identity” (Benedict Anderson)

Contest of power between the state and the public

Images of soldiers

“The common sign in which a whole nation must recognize itself” (Oscar Campomanes)

Why are fundamentalist beliefs common responses found in Arab Springs and ISIS?

Can modernity be argued as a western construct?

Edward Said: Calling Muslims “ancient” was usually just another way to denigrate them

Clash of civilization

Followers of fundamentalist beliefsSocietal reasons

Frustration and ‘Waithood’ (term coined by Samir Khalef and Roseanne Saad Khalef)

High unemployment among youth

Egypt: 38.9%; Libya: 51.2%

Youth Bulge

20% Egyptians: between ages 15 and 24; Syria: 20.7% in 2010

Sense of mission and accomplishment

Alienation

Promise of ISIS vs Harsh economic reality

Followers of fundamentalist beliefs

Religious reasonsLonging for martyrdom

Living under true Sharia: “Life’s hypocrisies and inconsistencies vanish in its face.” (The Atlantic)

Political reasonsResentment against the American Neoconservative foreign policies

Hopeless in democratic reform→ reasons for this particular path

Leaders of fundamentalist beliefs

Justification for terrorist activities

Desire to establish a ‘totalitarian’ government that follows God’s laws

Self-defense Jihad

Arab Springs

Al-Nour PartyFounded in 2011

AimsPolitical reform → people can choose their leaders

Promote social justice

Sharia as the main source of legislation

ISIS

Idea of apocalypse: Day of JudgementBattle of Dabiq: Battle between “good” and “evil”

Fulfill the psychological need of some

Salafism Literal interpretation of the Qu’ran

Enforcement of Sharia

Destruction of culture (history/art)

Social media

Use of social media in the Arab SpringsLogistics

Key to communication and organization of protests

Ideas

Platform for debate

Raise awareness“Mobilization, empowerment, shaping opinions, and influencing change” Salem, Fadi; Mourtada, Racha (May 2011). "Civil Movements: The Impact of

Facebook and Twitter"

Use of social media in ISIS

● Recruit● Spread Terror● Example

● Mobile Application: The Dawn○ 40000 tweets when ISIS

entered Mosul

Bibliography

Robyn Wiegman, Missiles and Melodrama

Benedict Anderson, Imagined Community

Jean Baudrillard, the reality gulf