Publication

This commentary discusses the education system that the so-called Islamic State (IS) is establishing in the area it controls and the potential security implications of this. The authors first outline the subjects on the IS syllabus, highlighting the importance given to the sciences and foreign languages such as English as well as the removal of social sciences from the curriculum. They then address the rejection of logic and critical analysis in this education system as well as how IS is attempting to replace existing social and ethnic identities with its own. Finally, they outline the implications of what will happen if the international community does not do something to prevent the indoctrination of children in Syria and Iraq in IS’ violent ideology.