The role of social capital in the perception of images of the Islamic State

Abstract

Purpose The terrorism of “Islamic State” (IS) is increasingly coming to be seen as a complicated and complex phenomenon permeated with various political goals and personal interests. The effectiveness of terrorist recruiters determines the need to identify the reasons for the appeal of the IS image and for the effectiveness of IS propaganda in different population layers and social groups. From this perspective, it is crucial to identify the significant social factors that are most affecting the perception of the terrorist activities of “IS” and their role in creating and shaping IS images. The purpose of this paper is to determine the role of social capital in the perception of the IS image. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on the findings of a sociological survey of a sample comprising 881 Russian students. In this research, six scales were used to identify the attitude of Russian students toward IS: informational awareness of IS; the image of IS fighters; the image of IS as an organization; attitude to an anti-terrorist policy; the role of the mass media; the level of social capital. Factorial analysis of the main components was conducted for each of the scales. Findings Subsequently, the correlation analysis of the relationship of social capital to the perception of the image of “IS” was conducted. Six main IS images were identified in the minds of the students. The research results show that survey participants with high levels of social capital are significantly more negative in their perception of the activities of the terrorist organization in question. Originality/value From this perspective, it is crucial to identify the significant social factors that are most affecting the perception of the terrorist activities of “IS” and their role in creating and shaping IS images. This study focuses on determining the role of social capital in the perception of the IS image.