The Islamic State's strategic communication: An informetric topic analysis

In this paper we describe an informetric approach to analyzing three recurrent facets of the Islamic State's strategic communication. These are (1) the call for emigration to IS‐controlled territory (hijrah) , (2) the encouragement of lone‐actor attacks in the West, and (3) the call for engagement in jihad . Content analysis of IS' English‐language magazines Dabiq and Rumiyah was used to determine trends in the coverage of these themes. The text‐word method, a knowledge representation method specifically suited for application on these non‐scientific texts, was used to uncover further thematic insights within the magazines. This mixed‐methods approach could serve as the basis for data collection on IS strategic communication and its themes, providing insight into longitudinal developments in IS writings. The presented use of informetrics and knowledge representation tools allows for a content‐based analysis of terrorist group's communication. In the future, this approach may aid in the understanding of the development of jihadist ideology and radicalization efforts carried out by terrorist groups, presenting the field of Information Science with a unique opportunity to provide an answer to a growing need for data on extremism and communication.