The Islamic State Vice News

Problem/Puzzle
The Islamic State has garnered support with surprising speed, perplexing policy analysts, sociologists, and military strategists alike.
Main Argument
As investigative journalism, The Islamic State does not necessarily have a central argument as much as a mission to expose the realities of life within the Islamic State. The journalists do want viewers to understand what draws people to support the jihadist movement.
Theories & Concepts
Islamic State interpretations of Sharia law are one issue discussed in the documentary. Jihadism is of course another concept addressed throughout the documentary.
Empirical Evidence
As documentary evidence itself, The Islamic State is a primary source of multimedia data—a sort of ethnography. The filmmakers do not make references to scholarly sources to substantiate any of the footage; nor was that their intent.
Structure
Structural elements addressed in the film include the overarching institution of religion and the theocratic model fo the caliphate, which is the guiding structure of the Islamic State.
Interactions
Interactions between actors and structures are mitigated by devotion to the cause, a belief in a bipolar reality in which good and evil are eternally pitted against one another.
Actors
Actors are both foot soldiers and leaders, but each man in the Islamic State has a role to play.
Surprising Insights
Nothing was surprising, even though the entire video is shocking to watch. However, the media has covered the realities of the Islamic State extensively, and the brutality and violence are well-known issues.
Critique/Questions
Although the documentary might seem overly graphic, it is important for viewers to get a more extended taste of the dangers of the Islamic State and groups like them, rather than the standard sound bytes that make their way into major news networks.
Connections
The United States has played a rather restrained role in the fight against the Islamic State, constrained by complexities in its relationship with other stakeholders in the region, especially Russia. Another connection that needs to be made is that, although the degree of severity is nothing close, America does have its own home-grown terrorists with racist, religious, ultra-nationalist leanings not too dissimilar from the Islamic State.
References
Vice News (2014). The Islamic State. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUjHb4C7b94