| Abstract [eng] |
The thesis Women in the ISIS Caliphate: constructing the role of Muslim women in the propaganda magazines Dabiq and Rumiyah analyzes the strategic narrative constructed by the terrorist organisation ISIS about the role of women. This is explained by analysing the influential ISIS propaganda magazines Dabiq and Rumiyah. Although women`s involvement in terrorist organisations is not a new phenomenon, the rise of ISIS has led to the emergence of a broader debate on women`s involvement in terrorism. As evidence has emerged of women carrying out suicide bombing missions, actively recruiting and indoctrinating other women in cyberspace, the question of why women are joining terrorist organisations has been raised even more often. On the other hand, research shows that ISIS is based on a patriarchal structure, where being a good wife and mother is seen as a woman's essential responsibility. The images of women as active agents and of women as supporters of their husbands, as nurturers of the future generation of jihadists, are contradictory. The ambiguous role of women reflected in the literature raises the question of how ISIS itself perceives the role of women in the Caliphate. Therefore, this thesis seeks to find out what strategic narrative about women and their role in Islam is constructed by the ISIS in its propaganda magazines Dabiq and Rumiyah. The narrative constructed by ISIS is revealed through Miskimmon et al. strategic narrative theory. This theory is based on three different levels – the international system, identity and issues. The usage of strategic narrative theory in the study revealed that women hold traditional roles in ISIS. The terrorist organisation perceives women as mothers, wives and homemakers. However, a detailed analysis of the three levels of strategic narrative theory showed that these roles, even if not perceived as active, are essential for ISIS to function and achieve its goals. Women are therefore encouraged to bear children in order to increase the Muslim community. They are also defined as wives who support their husbands and encourage them to fight in jihad. The study also revealed that ISIS does not perceive women as active agents. Although a few articles mentioned the possibility of women joining a fight, the majority of them explicitly stated that women's participation in the war is not acceptable to ISIS. The analysis showed that the terrorist organisation only called women to jihad after ISIS lost its territory and the ranks of new fighters have diminished. Even then, however, the terrorist organisation did not invite women to fight in order to empower them, but to shame men who had withdrawn from the war. Strategic narrative theory revealed the importance of propaganda to the Islamic State. The narrative that ISIS construct about the world and the role of women can be seen as a source of power. By convincing the world with its narrative, ISIS has attracted more fighters and more women to join the terorist organisation, thus achieving the important strategic goal of increasing the Muslim community and the number of those willing to fight against enemies. Although ISIS is currently scattered around the world, it is still active and might become more powerful. Therefore, counter-propaganda measures could prevent the Islamic State from rising. |
