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 againstAdAd_((Add quotation/ picture by security advisor)
the latter. Cleveland (507)

September 11, 2001

s
Symbols of freedom,

U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

s
Operation Enduring
Freedom
Supported by 37 UN nations

President Bushs Speech Declaring a

War on Terror- Sept. 20, 2001.S

U.S. Occupation of Iraq

s
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 beliefs

Societal 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 reasons
Longing for martyrdom
Living under true Sharia: Lifes hypocrisies and inconsistencies vanish in its face. (The
Atlantic)

Political reasons
Resentment 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 Gods

laws

Self-defense Jihad

Arab Springs
Al-Nour Party
Founded in 2011

Aims
Political reform people can choose their leaders
Promote social justice
Sharia as the main source of legislation

ISIS
Idea of apocalypse: Day of Judgement
Battle of Dabiq: Battle between good and evil
Fulfill the psychological need of some

Salafism
Literal interpretation of the Quran
Enforcement of Sharia

Destruction of culture (history/art)

Social media

Use of social media in the Arab Springs

Logistics
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