As ISIS influence and support is waning in Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere, this Majlis attempted to tackle some of the ideological narratives that prompted its rapid expansion in 2013-2014.  They looked at ISIS’s ideology and how its interpretations of various concepts within Islam influenced its rise and fall. The guest speaker, Dr Asaad Al-Saleh discussed the concept of Tamkeen, or 'Divine Enabling' as an example of various ideological concepts that ISIS used in its mobilization, propaganda, and ideological narratives. The discussion raised questions about ideological debates surrounding ISIS and other extremist groups including the implications of using, abusing, or interpreting concepts such as Tamkeen.
 
The discussant was Dr Asaad Al-Saleh an Associate Professor of Arabic Literature, Comparative Literature, and Cultural Studies in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Indiana University. His research examines personal narratives in Arabic literature, particularly modern Palestinian autobiographies, dealing with issues related to identity and displacement. His interest in narratives demonstrating the intersection of Arabic literature and political culture resulted in the publication of his book, Voices of the Arab Spring: Personal Stories from the Arab Revolutions (Columbia University Press, 2015). He teaches Arabic Literature courses and classical Islamic texts in Arabic and English, with expertise in Arab Spring, Autobiography, and Literary Theory. In addition to scholarly writing, he contributes opinion pieces in Arabic on political, cultural and religious issues in war-torn Syria, where he was born and raised.