Despite repression, civilians resist their jihadist rulers

Isak Svensson, Daniel Finnbogason, Dino Krause

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Between 2014 and 2019, the so-called Islamic State imposed an ultra-repressive proto-state in its self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The group became infamous for its drastic attempt to implement what it regarded as a truly Islamic, Sharia-based form of governance. Civilians were exposed to drastic and brutal punishments when they disrespected the new regulations, ranging from public executions to floggings and amputations.

In a new book published with Oxford University Press, Isak Svensson (Professor at Uppsala University), DIIS PhD Candidate Dino Krause and three co-authors (Daniel Finnbogason, Luís Martínez Lorenzo and Nanar Hawach) investigate how Iraqi civilians in Mosul found ways to resist IS’s brutal reign of terror, despite the extremely repressive circumstances. The authors show that non-violent resistance against the group was widespread and highly diverse, ranging from a few cases of open, more confrontative acts of defiance to more common, hidden resistance such as listening to forbidden music, consuming alcohol, or refusing to pay taxes.

The book further broadens the scope and studies civil resistance also in other jihadist proto-states, for example in Northern Mali, where al-Qaeda-linked jihadists established the so-called Azawad Emirate in 2012, as well as Algeria and Yemen. The findings show that resistance was more common where civilians perceived the jihadists as alien to local customs and traditions, and where the jihadists behaved excessively brutal.

Moreover, an analysis of hundreds of public protests against a multitude of jihadist groups during the Syrian Civil War illustrates that, sometimes, these protests managed to reach their formulated goals. Especially where the protesters formulated specific, non-maximalist demands, and where they managed to sustain demonstrations over larger periods of time, the jihadists were willing to make concessions.

The focus on civil resistance is all the more relevant in light of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in August 2021. What are the options for civilians to express their grievances under these new circumstances? “Confronting the Caliphate” shows that civil resistance is possible even under some of the most repressive regimes of our times.