Public Diplomacy Books, Articles, Websites #57
by Bruce Gregory* Intended for teachers of public diplomacy and related courses, here is an update on resources that may be of general interest. Suggestions for future updates are welcome. Jozef Batora and Monika Mokre, eds., Culture and External Relations: Europe...
Implicit Master Narratives in Extremist Website Launch
by Jeffry R. Halverson If you’ve read our book Master Narratives of Islamist Extremism then you already have a solid understanding of the major master narratives employed by Islamist extremists in their communications. For example, you’re able to recognize the...
A New Cultural Path for Indonesia’s Islamist PKS?
by Steven R. Corman The CSC has released a new white paper entitled A New Cultural Path for Indonesia’s Islamist PKS? by Mark Woodward, Ali Amin, Inaya Rohmaniyah, and Chris Lundry. The executive summary is as follows: With the commencement of Indonesia?s transition...
The Tariq ibn Ziyad Master Narrative
by Steven R. Corman The CSC has released a new white paper entitled The Tariq ibn Ziyad Master Narrative by Jeffry R. Halverson. The executive summary is as follows: Master narratives provide important insights into the cultures and societies that analysts and...
“Firebrand” Extinguished? Abu Bakar Basyir Sentenced to 15 Years
by Chris Lundry The next chapter in the saga of Abu Bakar Basyir, called the spiritual leader of terrorist organization Jemaah Islamiyah, came to an end on June 16. The court in South Jakarta pronounced its verdict of guilty to the charges of inciting terrorism...
Osama bin Laden’s Image Appears on Toast!
By Chris Lundry It was bound to happen: London’s Daily Mail reported yesterday that the face of Osama bin Laden appeared on a Londoner’s piece of toast. I have been fascinated with how the image of Osama bin Laden became a pop cultural phenomenon after 9-11 in some...
With bin Laden Dead Let’s Kill the Binary Narrative
by Scott Ruston As details pour in regarding this past weekend’s daring raid in which U.S. Navy SEALs killed elusive al-Qaeda leader and world’s most wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden, the exact details of the events keep changing slightly. The New York Times titled...
Tainted Legacies: to the Victor go the (Narrative) Spoils?
By Chris Lundry The first 48 hours after the death of Osama bin Laden were grounds for relief in the United States, its allies, and those who condemn violent extremism, but they have also been fraught with speculation and rumors concerning the operation. Is bin Laden...
Escalating Muslim Reaction to Terrorist Bombings in Indonesia
by Mark Woodward* Since March 15 Indonesia has experienced another wave of bombings, including a suicide attack on the Az Zikro mosque located in a police compound in Cirebon, Central Java. The bomber struck during Friday prayers. Other targets have included a book...
Narrating the Death of bin Laden and the Afterlife of bin Laden’s Narrative
by Bud Goodall Sunday night President Barack Obama officially declared Osama bin Laden dead. He began his speech with these words: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that...
The Iranian Narrative Landscape Stirs
by Jeffry R. Halverson Recently, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been abuzz over the release of a video entitled “The Coming is Very Near,” a 28-minute production created by a group of Twelver Shi‘a devotees of the Hidden Imam al-Mahdi, known as the Harbingers of the...
New Third Way Narrative Poses Challenge to U.S. Strategic Communication
by Bud Goodall There is a new narrative responsible for the success of the uprisings that spread from Tunisia through Egypt and now are heard in the streets of Syria, Yemen, Libya, and elsewhere. It is a secular narrative generated by young Muslims who recognize that...
A Different Kind of Crusader?
by Chris Lundry In our work identifying and tracking the use of Islamist narratives here at the CSC, the second most frequently invoked among Islamist extremists in our research (after Nakba or Palestine) has been the Crusader master narrative. The use of this term...
Egypt and Iran: A Tale of Two Narratives
by Jeffry R. Halverson and Steven R. Corman Recent events in Egypt have led some quarters to suggest we are witnessing a case parallel to the 1979 revolution in Iran. Back then, the fall of the Shah left a political vacuum that allowed religious hardliners to take...
Should We Fear Muslim Brotherhood Influence in Egypt?
by Jeffry R. Halverson There are a lot of questions and speculation about the Ikhwan al-Muslimun (The Muslim Brotherhood, or MB) and their role in the future of Egypt. The coverage of the organization in the U.S. media has been better than expected. However, I am...
New Book: Master Narratives of Islamist Extremism
CSC members Jeff Halverson, Bud Goodall, and Steve Corman have published a new book entitled Master Narratives of Islamist Extremism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011). The book describes a framework for analyzing cultural narratives that extremists use to influence...
Controlling the Narrative of January 25 – Part II
by Jeffry R. Halverson Events rapidly accelerated in Egypt on Friday, January 28, as expected. On Thursday night, the regime shut down internet access. This startling graphic by Craig Labovitz shows the precipitous drop in online traffic. Over the course of the day,...
Democracy, God, the People, and the Pharaoh: A Master Narrative’s Work is Never Done
by Bud Goodall The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia last week beget further democracy uprisings in Egypt and Yemen this week, as well as protests in Jordan and Mauritania. If the protesters are finally successful in Egypt and President Hosni Mubarak is forced out, this...
Obama’s Indonesia Trip and Associated Whacky Extremist Claims
by Chris Lundry President Barack Obama concluded his brief visit to Indonesia yesterday, fulfilling his promise to travel there despite having cancelled three prior trips to the land where he spent time as a young boy (between 1967-71). The cancellations had provoked...
State’s Digital Outreach Team May Do More Harm Than Good
by Cameron Bean Since November of 2006, the State Department has taken its public diplomacy efforts into the online arena of Arabic, Urdu, and Persian discussion boards. Heading this effort is the Digital Outreach Team (DOT). According to DOT member Muath Alsufy, the...
