Cyclical jihadist governance: the Islamic State governance cycle in Iraq and Syria

The rise and decline of the Islamic State’s (IS) caliphate between 2014 2018 have garnered significant policy academic attention. Explanations for group’s territorial demise focussed on its internal group dynamics external conflict processes. Although both explanations are valid, I adopt a historical approach to show that IS’s was just one cycle in two-decade history governance activity. IS has undertaken three cycles composed phases insurgency, gaining territory, establishing institutions, losing territory. After each cycle, engaged process critical self-reflection adapted strategy significantly. This resulted progressive which, with governed greater amounts through more complex longer period time. article is based fieldwork interviews conducted members civilians who lived under control Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, as well archival research contemporary governing documents.