ISIS Anthems in War and Their Impact on Recruiting Fighters: A Study of Discourse Strategies

Abstract

This research examines the discourse strategies employed in ISIS anthems and their impact on recruiting fighters. It focuses on the pivotal role of religious anthems in attracting young people, adolescents, and women to join the terrorist organization. The research analyzes the discourse strategies used in the anthems from three perspectives: the producer, the receiver, and the text and context. It demonstrates how the organization utilizes strategies of persuasion, guidance, and solidarity. The research emphasizes that religious anthems profoundly influence people, stirring instincts with subconscious energy, particularly among young people and adolescents who possess extreme religious fervor coupled with a spirit of sacrifice. It concludes that ISIS's strategy in producing and using anthems was novel and unprecedented, constituting a highly powerful tool for influencing the behavior, intellect, and psychological makeup of young people, thus making it a highly effective means of recruitment and ideological indoctrination.