Media technology evolution and its impacts on terrorist communication : case study : Al-Qaeda

Abstract

Throughout the past decades, a number revolutionary changes within media technology have occurred which have undoubtedly altered communicative methods as a result. These changes in media technology have coincided with the rise of another phenomenon; international terrorism, which has become one of the main international security threats. As such, the element of communication is a significant characteristic within international terrorism which will be shown throughout this research. Nonetheless, media technology innovations have altered terrorist organisations’ communicative methods. This dissertation sets out to showcase how changes in media technology have consequently modified terrorist communication, with a focus on the notorious international terrorist organisation, Al-Qaeda. Even though Al-Qaeda has by time decentralized into various networks cells, the focus will mainly be on Al-Qaeda Central, which was founded and 1988 and still operates in the present. Moreover, the impacts of media technology evolution on Al-Qaeda’s communication will be assessed by means of Comparative Case Study Research Method. Various time spans which were chosen according to major technological changes in communication and correspondingly utilized by Al-Qaeda, will ultimately be compared in order to underline the major impacts of media technology changes on Al-Qaeda’s communication.