Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Female Jihadis: The Case of Tunisia

Female Jihadis: The Case of Tunisia

Ben McHarek, Leila

Paperback

CriminologyGeneral Gender StudiesInternational Relations

PREORDER - Expected ship date November 15, 2026

ISBN10: 019785124X
ISBN13: 9780197851241
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: Nov 15 2026
Pages: 312
Language: English
This book probes the phenomenon of Tunisian women recruited for jihad, post-Arab Spring. In the aftermath of the Jasmine Revolution, Tunisia--which is often deemed to have been the most successful country in its democratic transition, and which has a long history of relative gender equality--has nevertheless played host to the mass enlistment of hundreds of women as jihadists. What explains this paradox?

While much has been written about the notable presence of Tunisian female fighters in conflict zones such as Syria, we know very little about these women's backgrounds or what drove them to join up. Through the biographies of thirty jihadist militants, Leila Ben Mcharek shines a light on the back-stories of such Tunisian women, and analyses their motivations, recruitment patterns and roles within jihadist organizations, both within and outside Tunisia.

Given the country's transition after the Arab Spring, and the various challenges this has posed, Ben Mcharek also provides an overview of the broader political and social context of these mobilizations. Her study is an indispensable contribution to our understanding of the processes by which women, and especially Tunisian women, may become members of violent and radical Islamist groups.

Also in

General Gender Studies

View All