Women’s jihadi radicalization: tracing ISIS women in case of Turkey

What is the allure of ISIS for women from Turkey? This article addresses this question by exploring Turkey’s dynamics that differentiate it from Western recruits. Drawing on the qualitative analysis of selected newspapers scanned from the most recruited provinces of Turkey, the study tackles why and how women joined ISIS as there has been less study of this cohort. The paper also examines how far recruits from the West experience various forms of identity crisis. The study reveals stratified motivations pivoting around geography, family, pre-existing networks, ideology, and religion are notably important. Turkey’s case metamorphosis the social understanding of identity crisis and the various forms these can take.