Describing the Islamic State's ideologues as 'entrepreneurs of identity', this book explores how the group defined categories of social identity and used these categories as tools of communicative and cognitive structuring. Based on a wide dossier of original texts, speeches, images, and videos, the book examines how these ideologues have built a symbolic repertoire around the black flag as well as ideas and social practices such as the dictum to command good and forbid wrong, the supervision of public behaviour, and the oath of allegiance to the Caliph.

"An excellent study of a contemporary politico-religious movement, which readers, including those who follow current events, will find informative and provocative. The author provides a sophisticated analysis of topical issues such as Sunni-Shii differences, sectarianism, nationalism, and identity politics." * Lois Beck, Washington University In Saint Louis "This book provides a valuable new perspective on the Islamic State by exploring how its ideologues, as 'entrepreneurs of identity', sought to construct and authorize categories of social identity in order to offer existential and ontological security to its sympathizers." * Pieter Nanninga, University of Groningen

Christoph Gunther is the Principal Investigator of the junior research group Jihadism on the Internet: Images and Videos, their Dissemination and Appropriation in the Department of Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Mainz. His recent publications include the co-edited Jihadi Audiovisuality and its Entanglements: Meanings, Aesthetics, Appropriations (Edinburgh University Press, 2020).