Inside Salafi-Jihadist Governance - by Marta Furlan

About the Book

"Inside Salafi-Jihadist Governance explores how Salafi-Jihadist organizations behave when they rule civilians. Drawing on in-depth case studies of the Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra/Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Maria Furlan assesses how different Salafi-Jihadist armed groups govern, whether there is a single model of Salafi-Jihadist rebel governance, and if there is any difference between how Salafi-Jihadist groups govern compared to other nonstate rebel groups that have taken over civilian territories. She finds that these groups generally structure their governance efforts the same way, and that the variations are by individual group, not by Salafi-Jihadist groups as a whole. She also illuminates the relationship between Salafi-Jihadist ideology and Salafi-Jihadist governance and the extent to which doctrine influences the decisions that Salafi-Jihadist armed groups make as rulers, a connection she finds to be quite strong. This book presents a unique, comprehensive analysis of the inner workings of government and civilian life under these organizations that contributes to the study of irregular warfare and post-conflict governance in the Middle East"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

In the years following the Arab Spring, a number of Islamist insurgent groups conquered swaths of territory across the Middle East and North Africa and began governing civilian populations. These groups have been faced with the complexities of administering justice, collecting taxes, and providing public services such as health care and education. How do Salafi-jihadist armed groups, which typically claim to be committed to ideological purity, approach administration, and what does this reveal about rule by insurgent forces?

This book is a groundbreaking comparative exploration of Salafi-jihadist governance, drawing on in-depth case studies of the Islamic State in western Iraq and eastern Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in northwestern Syria, and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in southern Yemen. Marta Furlan examines rebels' experiments in ruling, considering issues such as the treatment of non-Muslims, the extent of civilian participation, the use of coercive measures, and the scope of social and political change. She assesses whether there is a single model of Salafi-jihadist governance, the degree to which ideology and doctrine inform the behavior of rebel rulers, and the similarities and differences between Salafi-jihadists and other armed nonstate groups. Offering a window into the inner workings of government and civilian life under Islamist power, Inside Salafi-Jihadist Governance sheds new light on rule by nonstate groups more broadly.

Review Quotes

Furlan provides a theoretically rigorous, empirically rich, and practically relevant account of how Salafi-jihadist groups construct systems of rule, illuminating the complexities of insurgent governance and the implications for regional and global security. Written with aplomb and analytical depth, this book is essential reading for scholars, policymakers, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of how Salafi-jihadist groups in particular and armed nonstate groups in general govern territory and populations.--Adrian Florea, senior lecturer in political and international studies, University of Glasgow

Moving beyond discourse and ideology, Marta Furlan does a marvelous job tracing the intricacies and everyday realities of wartime governance by Salafi-jihadist groups. A fascinating comparative account of an important form of rebel rule in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen and a much-needed addition to the civil war literature!--Romain Malejacq, author of Warlord Survival: The Delusion of State Building in Afghanistan

Utilizing her knowledge of primary sources, Marta Furlan offers an excellent deep dive into how Salafi-jihadist insurgents transform ideology into rule, navigating contradictions between divine order and disruption of world order. Her attention to ideologies' role in rebel governance makes the book a must-read for academics and policymakers.--Ayse D. Lokmanoglu, Department of Emerging Media Studies, Boston University

About the Author

Marta Furlan is senior program manager for research at Free the Slaves. She has worked as a research consultant on human rights issues for a number of nongovernmental organizations and holds a PhD in international relations from the University of St Andrews.