Dr Elisabeth Kendall Interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Briefing Room’

Pembroke Senior Research Fellow in Arabic, Dr Elisabeth Kendall, was interviewed by David Aaronovitch on BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Briefing Room’ on 23rd February 2017. The episode is available to listen to here.

Dr Kendall was joined by Columb Strack, Senior Analyst for Middle East & North Africa at IHS Consulting; Charlie Winter, Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence; and Hassan Hassan, Senior Fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy.

In this episode titled, ‘Does IS Need a State?’, discussions centred around what a future without the so-called Islamic State would look like. Significant losses to the organisation’s territory in recent times have weakened their recruitment, trade and finances.

The interviewees acknowledged that Islamic State’s power is not just bound up in land and money; their sway held through propaganda means that the virtual world would be all the more important. In the final segment, thoughts turned to the future conditions for communities currently living under these regimes.

Dr Kendall argued that territory plays a massive part in their appeal for support. She said:

‘I think in losing territory it [Islamic State] does lose a great deal of credibility. It’s hugely undermining because the idea of a caliphate has been so central to Islamic State’s propaganda and appeal. It completely shatters the illusion of a functioning Islamic utopia…’

What would be next for the communities who have lived under Islamic State’s rule; what would the situation psychologically and physically look like for that population? Dr Kendall commented:

‘The success and ability to hold down a so-called defeat of Islamic State will rely almost entirely on what we then put in its place— how we deal with the traumatised populations.’

Dr Kendall’s expertise and exposure to failing states in the Middle East, such as Yemen, means she is well positioned to comment on the possibility of Islamic State’s resurgence elsewhere. She said:

 ‘I think this is definitely something to watch. When you squeeze a collection of groups like Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, you might well find that they start to crop up elsewhere and I think that with so many failing states around the Middle East— Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Libya – the resurgence of Islamic State outside Syria and Iraq remains a real possibility… and I think Yemen would be top of my list.’

Dr Kendall also discussed the prospective relationship and commonalities between Al-Qaeda and Islamic State. In concluding remarks she argued that reducing the likelihood of a jihadi revival after a defeat of Islamic State would require a better understanding of how things work at a local level.

Tune in on Saturday 25th February at 11.30am to ‘From Our Own Correspondent’ on BBC Radio 4. Dr Kendall will be reporting on her most recent research trip to Yemen; discussing rampant smuggling networks, the growth of social media and what it’s like to travel in the desert.

To keep up to date with Dr Kendall’s research follow her on Twitter