Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Tamara Mouras

Abstract

An increasing number of American women are actively engaging in overseas terrorist organizations and networks. Their motives, though, are little understood by researchers, although familial relationships and other associations, gender roles, and social media propaganda may play a role. The purpose of this qualitative narrative case study was to better understand the motives, decision-making, and behaviors of radicalized American women. The theoretical framework was social behavior theory and the research design, narrative case study based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Motivation. The research question addressed American women’s immersion into terrorism through social media outlets and familial partnerships that emphasize organizational leadership roles held by women within terrorist groups. Data were gathered from government sources and global terrorism databases containing information on American women who had engaged in attacks on the United States or who had traveled to high-risk countries. A systematic coding system with defined categories and themes was used to identify critical motives or needs of the sample. The data analysis suggested trigger spots for American women to be motivated over “time.” Time is the essence that created these seven radical American women and the lack of emotional, cognitive, and psychological support. This study may promote positive social change by encouraging governmental, nongovernmental, and academic stakeholders to focus on women. With the knowledge from the study, officials can potentially address gaps in counterterrorism policies (e.g., by increasing monitoring of social media communications, implementing stricter sentencing on women, and capturing immigrational trigger points of women traveling to high-risk countries).

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