Ideological Topoi And Discursive Strategies In Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s And Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s Jihadi Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis

This study on the use of discursive strategies and ideological topoi as reflected in the political speeches of al-Qa’ida’s leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri and ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, drawing on different historical-political perspectives, is the result of a particular interest in the ways rh...

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Main Author: Al-Rikaby, Ali Badeen Mohammed
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2018
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Online Access:http://eprints.usm.my/48489/1/ALI%20BADEEN%20MOHAMMED%20AL-RIKABY_hj.pdf
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spelling my-usm-ep.484892021-03-02T01:35:25Z Ideological Topoi And Discursive Strategies In Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s And Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s Jihadi Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis 2018-07 Al-Rikaby, Ali Badeen Mohammed J Political Science This study on the use of discursive strategies and ideological topoi as reflected in the political speeches of al-Qa’ida’s leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri and ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, drawing on different historical-political perspectives, is the result of a particular interest in the ways rhetorical and figurative language is employed in jihadi politics. Since the rise of the two radical movements as an outcome of the convulsions of the war in Iraq (2003-2011), the Arab revolutions (2010-present) and the civil war in Syria (2011-present), the increasing power of the non-state leaders makes it crucial to study their political speeches, to identify their jihadi discourse topics, their discursive strategies, topoi, fallacies and their micro-legitimatory tools. The study approaches al-Qa’ida and ISIS jihadi rhetoric from a multidisciplinary discourse-analytical perspective to deepen our understanding of the two movements’ political power and rhetoric. To achieve this aim, five speeches for each of the two non-state leaders are analyzed with methodological tools provided by Reisigl’s and Wodak’s (2001; 2009) discourse-historical approach and van Dijk’s (1998) ideological square. The extensive analyses of the discourse topics in the jihadi rhetoric of al- Zawahiri and al-Baghdadi designate that the legitimisation of ‘Self’ is basically tailored via constructing and de- legitimising the ‘Other’ as evil and as a forthcoming threat. Even though religious authority is treated with respect and appreciated as a sign of veneration, it is employed as a source of referential, predication and argumentation for violent acts. The study concludes that the progress of both non-state leaders in capturing widespread support for extremism among Muslims via their rhetorical tactics is inextricably linked to the enormous degrees of alienation that distance many Arab youths from their own local governments in particular and from their Western sponsors in general, and thus, making their arguments both political and ideological. 2018-07 Thesis http://eprints.usm.my/48489/ http://eprints.usm.my/48489/1/ALI%20BADEEN%20MOHAMMED%20AL-RIKABY_hj.pdf application/pdf en public phd doctoral Universiti Sains Malaysia Pusat Pengajian Bahasa Literasi & Terjemahan
institution Universiti Sains Malaysia
collection USM Institutional Repository
language English
topic J Political Science
spellingShingle J Political Science
Al-Rikaby, Ali Badeen Mohammed
Ideological Topoi And Discursive Strategies In Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s And Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s Jihadi Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis
description This study on the use of discursive strategies and ideological topoi as reflected in the political speeches of al-Qa’ida’s leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri and ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, drawing on different historical-political perspectives, is the result of a particular interest in the ways rhetorical and figurative language is employed in jihadi politics. Since the rise of the two radical movements as an outcome of the convulsions of the war in Iraq (2003-2011), the Arab revolutions (2010-present) and the civil war in Syria (2011-present), the increasing power of the non-state leaders makes it crucial to study their political speeches, to identify their jihadi discourse topics, their discursive strategies, topoi, fallacies and their micro-legitimatory tools. The study approaches al-Qa’ida and ISIS jihadi rhetoric from a multidisciplinary discourse-analytical perspective to deepen our understanding of the two movements’ political power and rhetoric. To achieve this aim, five speeches for each of the two non-state leaders are analyzed with methodological tools provided by Reisigl’s and Wodak’s (2001; 2009) discourse-historical approach and van Dijk’s (1998) ideological square. The extensive analyses of the discourse topics in the jihadi rhetoric of al- Zawahiri and al-Baghdadi designate that the legitimisation of ‘Self’ is basically tailored via constructing and de- legitimising the ‘Other’ as evil and as a forthcoming threat. Even though religious authority is treated with respect and appreciated as a sign of veneration, it is employed as a source of referential, predication and argumentation for violent acts. The study concludes that the progress of both non-state leaders in capturing widespread support for extremism among Muslims via their rhetorical tactics is inextricably linked to the enormous degrees of alienation that distance many Arab youths from their own local governments in particular and from their Western sponsors in general, and thus, making their arguments both political and ideological.
format Thesis
qualification_name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.)
qualification_level Doctorate
author Al-Rikaby, Ali Badeen Mohammed
author_facet Al-Rikaby, Ali Badeen Mohammed
author_sort Al-Rikaby, Ali Badeen Mohammed
title Ideological Topoi And Discursive Strategies In Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s And Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s Jihadi Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis
title_short Ideological Topoi And Discursive Strategies In Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s And Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s Jihadi Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis
title_full Ideological Topoi And Discursive Strategies In Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s And Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s Jihadi Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis
title_fullStr Ideological Topoi And Discursive Strategies In Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s And Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s Jihadi Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Ideological Topoi And Discursive Strategies In Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s And Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s Jihadi Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis
title_sort ideological topoi and discursive strategies in ayman al-zawahiri’s and abu bakr al-baghdadi’s jihadi speeches: a critical discourse analysis
granting_institution Universiti Sains Malaysia
granting_department Pusat Pengajian Bahasa Literasi & Terjemahan
publishDate 2018
url http://eprints.usm.my/48489/1/ALI%20BADEEN%20MOHAMMED%20AL-RIKABY_hj.pdf
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