The Terrorist Argument: Modern Advocacy and Propaganda

From chants to pamphlets to the internet, terrorist propaganda can be deadly effectiveThe Terrorist Argument examines how terrorists and armed groups have used communications techniques with varying degrees of success: radio, newspapers, voice and song, television, books, e-magazines, advertising, the internet, and social media. Armed groups engaging in terrorism have always relied on media to motivate supporters and frighten opponents, and they have proven adept at adapting to new communications technologies while retaining useful techniques from the past.Here, the authors trace how armed groups and terrorists around the globe have honed their broadcasts for maximum impact on those from whom they seek support and on the official state organs they hope to overthrow. While sometimes crude, the messages and the techniques can also be highly refined-carefully crafted appeals to intellect or emotion, embracing the latest forms of communications technology.Fascinating reading for anyone interested in civil conflict, terrorism, communications theory and practice, or security studies, The Terrorist Argument helps shed light on the myriad ways terrorist propaganda has become such an effective tool in the digital age.