Table Of ContentR
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Few social and political phenomena have been debated as frequently or H
NEOLIBERALISM
fervidly as neoliberalism and neo-jihadism.Yet,while discourse on these A
phenomena has been wide-ranging, they are rarely examined in relation to R
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one another.Neoliberalism and neo-jihadism examines political-economic
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characteristics of twentieth- and early twenty-first-century ‘neo-jihadism’. NEO-JIHADISM
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Drawing on Bourdieusian and neo-Marxist ideas, it investigates how the
neo-jihadist organisations,Al Qaeda and Islamic State, engage with the late
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modern capitalist paradigm of neoliberalism in their anti-capitalist
propaganda and quasi-capitalist financial practices. E
O
PROPAGANDA AND FINANCE
An investigation of documents and discourses reveals interactions between
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neoliberalism and neo-jihadism characterised by surface-level contradiction,
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and structural connections that are both dialectical and mutually reinforcing. B
IN AL QAEDA AND ISLAMIC STATE
Neoliberalism here is argued to constitute an underlying ‘status quo’,while E
R
neo-jihadism, as an evolving form of political organisation, is perpetuated
as part of this situation. A
L
IMOGEN RICHARDS
Representing differentiated, unique, and exclusive examples of the I
S
(r)evolutionary phenomenon of neo-jihadism,Al Qaeda and Islamic State are
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demonstrated to be characteristic of the mutually constitutive nature of ‘power
and resistance’. Just as resistance movements throughout modern history
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come to resemble the forms of power they sought to overthrow, so too have
Al Qaeda and Islamic State reconstituted the dominant political-economic
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paradigm of neoliberalism they mobilised in response to.
E
O
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IMOGEN RICHARDS is a Lecturer in Criminology at Deakin University and J
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member of the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation H
A
D
I
S
M
ISBN-13: 978-1-5261-4320-4
www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
Neoliberalism and neo-jihadism
Neoliberalism and
neo-jihadism
Propaganda and finance in
Al Qaeda and Islamic State
IMOGEN RICHARDS
Manchester University Press
Copyright © Imogen Richards 2020
The right of Imogen Richards to be identified as the author of this work has been
asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Published by Manchester University Press
Altrincham Street, Manchester M1 7JA
www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 5261 4320 4 hardback
First published 2020
The publisher has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for any
external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guar-
antee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
Typeset by Sunrise Setting, Brixham
Contents
Acknowledgements vi
List of abbreviations viii
Introduction 1
1 Neoliberalism, Bourdieu, and neo-Marxism 15
2 Neoliberalism in action 34
3 Al Qaeda’s political-economic propaganda 55
4 Islamic State’s political-economic propaganda 90
5 Al Qaeda’s financial practices 118
6 Islamic State’s financial practices 150
Conclusion 186
References 206
Index 250
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to the many colleagues, friends, and family who supported
me physically and emotionally in preparing this book. First and fore-
most, special thanks go to Richard Jackson and David Whyte for provid-
ing invaluable feedback and advice during the writing process. Richard’s
advice on potential curative measures for what he termed the ‘epistemo-
logical crisis’ of contemporary counterterrorism was in the first instance
vital to framing the book’s investigation. The following consideration of
how neo-jihadism and US counterterrorism can be conceptualised
through a lens of ‘power’ and ‘resistance’ derived from Richard’s contri-
butions to peace and conflict research, and the Critical Terrorism Studies
field, of which he is a founder. From legal studies and criminology,
David’s guidance on information sequencing, streamlining, and overall
coherence was also instrumental to my revisions of this work at early
stages. Moreover, David’s advice on theoretical debates about political
violence within and beyond academia, and the importance of frank
author positioning in relation to those debates, informed a central pillar
of the book’s argumentation.
Criminology departments at Monash and Deakin Universities then
provided the resources and opportunities that enabled my pursuit of this
research and ultimately made the book possible. Academic and profes-
sional staff provided me with opinions and insights from their many
combined years of research experience, including through shared sub-
and ‘anti’- disciplinary expertise. At Monash, Jude McCulloch provided
steadfast support in supervising the research for this book from 2015–2018.
Her insights about criminology, political economy, and counterterrorism,
significantly shaped my early understanding of issues the book explores.
Thanks also must go to Jarrett Blaustein for providing invaluable feed-
back and for sharing his perspective of where this work might sit in the
broader scholarly field. Jarrett’s knowledge of global governance and
theories of power across diverse intellectual traditions was also greatly
influential in my initial planning of the investigation.
Acknowledgements vii
At Deakin University, staff within and beyond the department of
criminology were of immense help in their willingness to share perspec-
tives on contentious political matters examined in this book. I reflected
at various stages of writing on how to discuss with critical and ethical
merit matters concerning counter/terrorism. Considerations included in
particular my own ‘Global North’ perspectives on developing-nation
situations, within a broader context of the criminalisation, suffering,
and structural disadvantage experienced by those affected with political
violence in various forms. Reece Walters was in particular helpful in
bringing such issues into focus and offering encouragement for my
approach.
Also at Deakin, I extend my appreciation to Mark Wood and Chad
Whelan for providing constructive comments on the intersectional
nature of political economy, security, and culture with regard to the
representation of these subjects in the following chapters. Support and
encouragement from Mary Iliadis, Matthew Sharpe, Emma Ryan,
Danielle Tyson, Bree Carlton, Andrew Groves, Ian Warren, and many
others at Deakin also made the process of preparing for publication
much more manageable and enjoyable than would otherwise have
been possible. Further appreciation must be extended to Robert Byron,
Lucy Burns, Jen Mellor, and the editors and staff at Manchester Uni-
versity Press for their positivity, dedication, and professionalism. I am
especially thankful to Tim Hyde and the team at Sunrise Setting for
their invaluable feedback, advice, and support throughout the produc-
tion process.
Of my friends, in particular I thank Arwen Johns for reading drafts,
listening to all manner of cogitation, and providing perceptive and con-
structive insights that made all the difference. Luke Todd, Shane Tas,
Max Thurnwald, Craig Willis, Abbey Kendall, and Paris Dean also
shared much appreciated enthusiasm about the project and provided me
with support in a number of ways – in particular listening to more than
a few repetitive reflections and staying positive when my own endurance
was waning. Without their enthusiasm and assistance, the process of
organising my thoughts for writing, and translating these into practice,
would have been significantly more daunting.
Finally, I am very grateful to my family for discussing ideas, sharing
opinions, and being unwavering in their support. Hayley, Erica, Ryan,
Simon, and Deb, you have all borne a lot of reflection and some rumi-
nation on my part without complaint. Thanks for your encouragement
during these years and for having faith that this exploration would
make a meaningful contribution to my life and to the broader social
field.
Abbreviations
7/7 Al Qaeda attack on the London Underground on 7 July
2005
9/11 Al Qaeda attack on the US on 11 September 2001
ACLU American Civil Liberties Union
AQ Al Qaeda
AQAP Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
AQI Al Qaeda in Iraq
AQIS Al Qaeda in the Islamic Subcontinent
BIF Benevolence International Foundation
CAT Center for the Analysis of Terrorism
CIA Central Intelligence Agency
CNN Cable News Network
CPA Coalition Provisional Authority
CTS Critical Terrorism Studies
DFI Development Fund for Iraq
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FATF Financial Action Task Force
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation
GCC Gulf Cooperation Council
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GFC Global Financial Crisis (2008)
GI Generation Identity
GWOT Global War on Terrorism
IBC international business corporation
ICSR International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and
Political Violence
IFI international financial institution
IGC Iraqi Governing Council
IMF International Monetary Fund
IRRF Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund
IS Islamic State
Abbreviations ix
ISI Inter-Services Intelligence
ISIL Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
ISKP Islamic State Khorasan Province
LDC less developed country
MAK Maktab al-Khidamat
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NCB National Commercial Bank
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development
OFAC Office of Foreign Assets Control
PDPA People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan
PNAC Project for a New American Century
SAP structural adjustment programme
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization
UNOCAL Union Oil Company of California
USAID United States Agency for International Development
WTO World Trade Organization
