The Influence Of ISIS

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Roots: ISIS and Where It Came From The Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, has seemed to generate itself overnight and is in the headlines more often than not. Their brutality and violence has attracted many to the cause and has inspired fear in the hearts of the international community, especially in areas where democracy and freedom are the cornerstones of society. They have shaken the very core of the world’s stance on human rights and have perplexed many world leaders on how they should be fighting the group. In order for leaders to effectively combat ISIS and its influence in our world today, they must first understand the causes of this deadly organization. These include, but are not limited to, a radical ideology, the influence …show more content…
Eric Hobsbawm, a twentieth century historian familiar with nationalism and socialism, remarked “Religion is an ancient and well-tried method of establishing communication through common practice and a sort of brotherhood between people who otherwise have nothing much in common” (Hobsbawm 68). This describes ISIS and their effectiveness perfectly. There are a multitude of Muslims that feel that the international community, especially those in the West, have disgraced their religion and they have banded together in order to fight a common enemy. Westernization, defined as “the conversion to or adoption of western techniques or traditions” (Merriam-Webster), has permeated the membrane of the Middle East and has ultimately impacted the Muslim culture. However, the Islamic State has enacted Sharia law within the territory that it has gained through its fights over the past few years. Sharia law is a set of governing principles that dictates the way of life for Muslims (Johnson Introduction). Some Middle Eastern countries have adopted it, while others have not. ISIS believes that this radical way of living is the best way to combat the influences of the Western world in their communities. They have law enforcement that will stone people in the streets and behead those who disobey the laws. Muslims relate to this because they feel that the Western culture has had a negative impact on the tenants of their religion and they are trying to attract people back to the holy ways of Islam. ISIS also identifies with jihadism, or holy war. This means that the group will fight those who they believe have tampered with Islam itself, most specifically those in the western part of the world. This ideology has several governing principles, which Cole Bunzel discusses in his analysis paper From Paper State to Caliphate: The Ideology of the Islamic State. Some of the most

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