Download Quo Vadis Europe? Challenges of the 21st Century

Quo Vadis Europe? Challenges of the
21st Century
Online Jihadism
Rüdiger Lohlker
(Vienna University)
Situation

efficient and committed use of the Internet
by jihadis

multiplatform strategy

ability to evade censorship („swarmcast“)

lack of counter strategies

there is more than IS/ISIS
Avoid Experts
some data
time zone
locations

number of followers of
important accounts
languages used by
highly engaged
followers
Background

ISIS is within Egypt, through what is taught
in its schools and universities, warns a
cleric, sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Nasr.
(Misr al-'arabiyya, October 30th, 2014)
Reasons

humanitarian

adventure

being 'top dog'

identification with winner

causing fear

fighting proxy wars

Islamic
profiles

multilingual

life in jihad

comfortable life
claiming Islamic legitimity

proclaiming caliphate
attracting women

collective memory

eschatological

cult of death

Other Voices

Other Voices

Other Voices

Solutions

soft power

claiming Internet back

building peer networks

alternative views of Islam

critique of jihadi ideology

alternatives way of action for young people