As part of ISD’s Gen Z & The Digital Salafi Ecosystem project, this theoretical briefing seeks to contextualise ISD’s research into the online Salafi ecosystem within the key political debates and terminological considerations that permeate current conceptualisations of Salafism. The paper outlines the limitations of established typologies which categorise Salafi adherents using terms such as quietists, activists and jihadists, and instead highlights an increasingly interdependent spectrum of ideological influence.

ISD’s pioneering new research maps the rapidly evolving online Salafi ecosystem, providing a cross-platform snapshot of a broad landscape of English, German and Arabic content. To read about the full series on Salafism click here. 

Senior Advisor and Contributing Editor: Rashad Ali