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Abstract
Given the evidence pointing to religiosity and gender as strong predictors of risk aversion, the recruitment of women into extremist organizations seems contradictory. This article is intended to help solve the puzzle of female behavior in terrorist groups by adding some nuance to the discussion: it is not religiosity itself that influences people’s willingness to take risks, but their perception of god’s expectations about them. This is illustrated here with an analysis of ISIS’s magazine Dar al-Islam and the evolution of their messages, from portraying a god that wants submission to a god that needs women’s active participation in battle.
Highlights
Given the evidence pointing to religiosity and gender as strong predictors of risk aversion, the recruitment of women into extremist organizations seems contradictory
The gender gap in risk taking has been studied in the most diverse spheres of behavior, with overwhelming evidence suggesting that women are less likely to take risks than men
In contexts that range from financial decisions (Charness & Gneezy, 2012; Barber & Odean, 2001) to strategic decisionmaking in a simulated war (Johnson, McDermott, Barrett, Cowden, Wrangham, McIntyre, & Rosen, 2006), females are often less confident about their chances of success, they see higher risks in tasks than men do (Bromiley & Curley, 1992; Weber, Blais, & Betz, 2002), and are less willing to take risks altogether
Summary
According to Marc Sageman (in Bloom, 2012), women are exposed to the same jihadist propaganda as are men. It is true that the virtual space creates more opportunities for women to engage with other members and potential recruits of the terrorist organizations, there is no complete “gender neutralization” in the real world, as men and women are usually assigned to different roles in the organizational structure Both men and women can have access to magazines like Dar al-Islam, but the articles within them are usually very clear about the sex of the people to whom they refer and address themselves. They make sure to use common social experiences, local events, and media references with which residents can empathize.
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