Study title

This dataset offers a content analysis of the imagery provided in two key sources of Islamic State (IS) propaganda: Dabiq and Rumiyah magazines. We examine every image from all fifteen issues of Dabiq magazine (July 2014–July 2016) and all thirteen issues of Rumiyah (September 2016–September 2017). Circulated online as high-quality PDF files, Dabiq and Rumiyah magazines contain a substantial number of images: 2,058 (1,485 in total and 1.6 per page, on average, for Dabiq and 573 in total and 1 per page for Rumiyah). Each image is coded for a number of key features such as in-group or out-group membership, prominent symbols, and the primary narrative. The social sciences have made important contributions to our understanding of security threats and the skills and technologies that can mitigate them. However, these contributions have yet to achieve their full impact on practice for two reasons. First, they draw on a diverse set of disciplinary perspectives and epistemologies, and are rarely understood holistically. As a result, there remains much to be learned from their systematic integration. Second, many contributions have been made without a full appreciation of the challenges and constraints faced by the security and intelligence agencies. There is thus a need to facilitate researcher-stakeholder exchanges that promote understanding and empower researchers to make impactful contributions. The Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats (CREST) will deliver a world-class, interdisciplinary portfolio of activity that maximises the value of social science to countering threats to national security. CREST brings together leading researchers from seven disciplines, government and industry stakeholders, and communication specialists to coordinate an international network of excellence that delivers five Agendas. These Agendas seek to enhance the skills and understanding of agency practitioners, develop capacity and capability in academia, build mutual...