Citation

Gan R, Neo LS, Chin J, Khader M. Women Crim. Justice 2019; 29(4-5): 204-220.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/08974454.2018.1547674

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the past, women in the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) were known to serve as homemakers (i.e., wives, mothers). However, in recent times there has been a shift in their roles, as more women are starting to emerge on the front lines as suicide bombers, recruiters, or a part of ISIS's official women police brigade. This article investigates this phenomenon by performing a thematic analysis on open-source material, namely research reports, media reports, and propaganda material produced by ISIS. In doing so, it presents the evolution of the roles of women in ISIS from past to present and highlights key reasons that motivate women to join ISIS, which include ideology, alienation, romance, peer influence, and a sense of security. Implications for research on women in terrorism have also been identified. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Language: en

Keywords

women; terrorism; suicide bomber; ISIS; jihadi