View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ASU Digital Repository Identity in Ideologically Driven Organizing: Narrative Construction of Individual and Organizational Identity In Al Qaeda's Public Discourse by Kristin Fleischer A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved October 2017 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Janet K. Alberts, Chair Richard Furlow Angela Trethewey ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY December 2017 ABSTRACT More than a decade after the events of September 11, the kinetic conflict between U.S. forces and Islamist extremist groups continues, albeit in a more limited fashion. In the post 9/11 decade there has been increased recognition that factors such as globalization, economic insecurity, regional political unrest, and the rapid advancement and diffusion of communication technologies will continue to influence the nature of international warfare for the foreseeable future. Industrial, interstate wars between sanctioned armies (Kilcullen, 2007; Tatham, 2008) is giving way to asymmetric forms of conflict exemplified by the conflict between the U.S. and its allies, and al Qaeda and ideological affiliates like al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (Kilcullen, 2004; Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, 2007). This shift has brought counterinsurgency (Petraeus, 2008) tactics to the forefront of policy discussion. A result of this focus on counterinsurgency efforts is increased interest in strategic communication (stratcom) (Nagl, Amos, Sewall, & Petraeus, 2008; Paul, 2009) and the function of narrative (Roberts, 2007) in kinetic conflict (Zalman, 2010). The U.S. has been said to be "losing the battle of narrative" to the extent that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has spoken of the need to "supplant the extremist narrative" (Mullen, 2009). Understanding how narrative functions in ideologically driven organizing (IDO) remains under developed, however. Little empirical research has examined how al Qaeda's use of narrative contributes to organizational success. Drawing on the tradition of narrative in organizational communication scholarship (Alvesson & Willmott, 2002; Ashcraft & Mumby, 2004) this project interrogates al Qaeda's use of narrative from an identity perspective, exploring the ways in which narrative is constitutive of identity at individual and organizational levels. The analysis focuses on public communication produced by al Qaeda, intended for various stakeholder audiences including potential recruits, the broader Muslim i community, and adversaries such as the United States and its allies. This project makes practical contributions to U.S. public policy and countering violent extremism (CVE) efforts, offering rigorous empirical examination of the ways in which al Qaeda uses narrative to construct individual and organizational identity. Theoretical contributions are made by extending existing organizational scholarship into a currently under-developed area: ideologically driven conflict. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible without the help and support of many people and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my family, friends, mentors, and the teachers and staff of the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication. To my parents. Thank you for expecting me to be more, and always being there when I needed advice or support. I’m incredibly lucky to always be able to count on you both. Thank you for understanding you’re getting a horse and a dissertation instead of grandkids. Love you! Thank you to my adviser, Dr. Janet Alberts for your enthusiasm, support, invaluable feedback, and honesty during this process. I am incredibly grateful for your guidance and all the time and effort you have given to this project. It has been a pleasure and an honor to work with you. I am not exaggerating when I say I could not have finished without you. Much appreciation for my dissertation committee, Dr. Bennett Furlow and Dr. Angela Trethewey, who graciously dedicated their time and expertise to enriching this project. Angela, it was a privilege to work with you in class and with the CSC. Bennett, I couldn’t ask for a better partner in the trenches. Thank you for making five years significantly more entertaining and for hours of great nerd debates. Thank you to Dr. Steve Corman for allowing me to be part of the Center for Strategic Communication and advocating for my inclusion into the graduate program at the HDSHC. Working with you has been a remarkable opportunity and the experience I’ve gained has been invaluable. To Dr. Scott Ruston, thank you so much for all your help and advice through my classes and especially thank you for suggesting an internship with NATO. Big big thank you to my BFFs, Shawna Malvini-Redden and Geeta Nemmers. Who knew serial killers, the attractive FBI agents who hunt them, and nachos would be the iii foundation of such fabulous friendships. Shawna, our friendship is hands down the best thing I ever got out of my PhD. I’d have to write a whole chapter on your awesomeness so I’ll just say I (heart) you. Geeta, if it weren’t for your snark, brilliance and blue hyperlinks I never would have survived classes. Your physical proximity will never piss me off. To the Lunatics: Web, Typey, Ella and Ginger. We Did a Thing ™ and I can’t even begin to imagine the ways it has and will continue to change my life. All of them, though, I know will be for the better. Trancer, Coffee, Ay, Alsike, my Sin Bin buddies, words cannot describe how much your friendship and textual offerings have meant over the last couple of years. That little red message notification never failed to put a smile on my face, no matter how frustrating rl was being. <3 I also could not have made it through this program without the wonderful staff members of the Hugh Downs School. Heather, Rosemary, Lynne and Sue, thank you so, so much for your help, time, and never-ending patience. You ladies are the best! iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................... xii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER 1 COMMUNICATIVE ASPECTS OF ASYMMETRIC WARFARE ............................. 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 Rationale .................................................................................................................... 4 2 AL QAEDA: AN IDEOLOGICAL PRIMER ................................................................. 12 Ideological Foundations ....................................................................................... 13 The Muslim Brotherhood ............................................................................... 16 Qutb & Signposts ............................................................................................. 17 Abdullah Azzam ............................................................................................... 21 Ayman al-Zawahiri ........................................................................................... 23 Usama bin Laden .............................................................................................. 25 Anwar al-Awlaki ................................................................................................ 27 Adam Gadahn ................................................................................................... 29 Summary ................................................................................................................. 30 3 THE ISLAMIC STATE/DAESH ....................................................................................... 32 Origins of Daesh ................................................................................................... 32 2002-2006 ........................................................................................................... 34 2006-2011 ........................................................................................................... 36 2012-2015 ........................................................................................................... 37 Daesh & al Qaeda ................................................................................................. 38 v CHAPTER Page Ideological incompatability ............................................................................. 39 4 THEORETICAL GROUNDING AND LITERATURE REVIEW .......................... 42 Policy Influences.................................................................................................... 42 Strategic Communication ................................................................................ 42 Definition disagreement ............................................................................ 43 Historical foundations ................................................................................. 43 American corporate influence ............................................................... 44 Researching al Qaeda... ......................................................................................... 46 Ideologically Driven Organizing .................................................................... 49 Identity ...................................................................................................................