Law and war will not beat jihad

In recent months, much ink has been spilt exploring why some young British Muslims abandon a comfortable life in the UK to join one of the most brutal and blood-thirsty terrorist groups in recent history, namely the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Sadly, much of this commentary has struggled to move beyond clichés that revolve around hate preachers and extremist websites.

In order to arrive at a more nuanced understanding of why a group like ISIS is able to attract hundreds of young British Muslims, we must examine a wide range of factors that contribute towards creating a ISIS narrative that has resonance and appeal.

This involves facing up to some uncomfortable truths about contemporary Muslim political discourse and coming to terms with the negative impact of the recent lurch towards vacuous literalism within British Muslim communities.

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