“Inside Salafi-Jihadist Governance: The Strategies and Characteristics of Islamist Insurgent Rule” - published by Columbia University Press - is a comparative exploration of Salafi-Jihadist governance that draws on in-depth case studies of the Islamic State in western Iraq and eastern Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in northwestern Syria, and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in southern Yemen.

In the book, I examine rebels’ experiments in governance, considering issues such as the treatment of minorities, the extent of civilian participation, the mechanisms used to encourage compliance, and the scope of social and political change. I assess whether there is a single model of Salafi-Jihadist governance, the degree to which ideology and doctrine inform the behavior of Salafi-Jihadist rebel rulers, and the similarities and differences between Salafi-Jihadists and other non-state armed groups in matters of governance.

Offering a window into civilian life under Salafi-Jihadist rule, “Inside Salafi-Jihadist Governance” aims to shed new light on governance by non-state armed groups more broadly and to make a contribution to the civil war literature.

The book will be out in September 2025, and there will be an opportunity to pre-order it two months before at a discounted rate (more on that later on).