Muslim, Narratives, Women 

The subject of female participation in violent extremism is contentious. Until
police arrested girls from the coast of Kenya who were suspected to be travelling
to Somalia to join Al-shabaab, the subject of female jihadist in East Africa was
unheard of. This in-depth analysis of some encounters and experiences of
Muslim women from the coast showcases the significance of narrating personal
involvement and encounters with the extremist violence of the Al-Shabaab in
Somalia. Narratives of how they met recruiters and operatives are insightful in
their details but because the personal accounts tell the stories of their lives
which provide insight and meanings embedded their experiences. Using
biographical narratives, this article builds a shift on knowledge about female
jihadist, violent extremism and radicalization. The narratives describe the agency
of personal experiences of violence, suffering and loss experienced by women in
their involvement in violent extremism.  

21 p.; 25 cm