The Political Aesthetics of ISIS and Italian Futurism

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, International, Social Science
Cover of the book The Political Aesthetics of ISIS and Italian Futurism by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein, Lexington Books
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Thorsten Botz-Bornstein ISBN: 9781498564373
Publisher: Lexington Books Publication: December 17, 2018
Imprint: Lexington Books Language: English
Author: Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
ISBN: 9781498564373
Publisher: Lexington Books
Publication: December 17, 2018
Imprint: Lexington Books
Language: English

Through empirical analysis and theoretical reflection, this book shows that the aesthetics and politics of the Islamic State is “futurist.” ISIS overcomes postmodern pessimism and joins the modern, techno-oriented, and optimistic attitude propagated by Italian Futurism in the early twentieth century. The Islamic State does not only excel through the extensive use of high-tech weapons, social media, commercial bot, and automated text systems. By putting forward the presence of speeding cars and tanks, mobile phones, and computers, ISIS presents jihad life as connected to modern urban culture. Futurism praised violence as a means of leaving behind imitations of the past in order to project itself most efficiently into the future. A profound sense of crisis produces in both Futurism and jihadism a nihilistic attitude toward the present state of society that will be overcome through an exaltation of technology. Futurists were opposed to parliamentary democracy and sympathized with nationalism and colonialism. ISIS jihadism suggests a similarly curious combination of modernism and conservative values. The most obvious modern characteristic of this new image of fundamentalism is the highly aestheticized recruiting material.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Through empirical analysis and theoretical reflection, this book shows that the aesthetics and politics of the Islamic State is “futurist.” ISIS overcomes postmodern pessimism and joins the modern, techno-oriented, and optimistic attitude propagated by Italian Futurism in the early twentieth century. The Islamic State does not only excel through the extensive use of high-tech weapons, social media, commercial bot, and automated text systems. By putting forward the presence of speeding cars and tanks, mobile phones, and computers, ISIS presents jihad life as connected to modern urban culture. Futurism praised violence as a means of leaving behind imitations of the past in order to project itself most efficiently into the future. A profound sense of crisis produces in both Futurism and jihadism a nihilistic attitude toward the present state of society that will be overcome through an exaltation of technology. Futurists were opposed to parliamentary democracy and sympathized with nationalism and colonialism. ISIS jihadism suggests a similarly curious combination of modernism and conservative values. The most obvious modern characteristic of this new image of fundamentalism is the highly aestheticized recruiting material.

More books from Lexington Books

Cover of the book Theory and Method in Historical Ethnomusicology by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Girls' Series Fiction and American Popular Culture by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Confronting Disaster by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Cross-Cultural Competence for a Twenty-First-Century Military by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Screening the Nonhuman by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Soul, World, and Idea by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Secular Spirituality by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book The Nature of Christianity in Northern Tanzania by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Maine by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Heavy Metal Music and the Communal Experience by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book EU Federalism and Constitutionalism by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Max Stirner's Dialectical Egoism by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book The Nine-Eyed Agate by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Russian Foreign Policy toward Missile Defense by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Cover of the book Empiricism and the Problem of Metaphysics by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy