Social Factors and Terrorism Recruitment

Class: EMH360 History of Terrorism and Homeland Security in the US
Unit 5: Social Factors and Terrorism Recruitment
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Social Factors and Terrorism Recruitment

How are terrorist groups recruiting people to join their fight? What are the reasons so many young people, both male and female, are leaving their countries, including America, to join these violent organizations? What can be done to cripple recruitment efforts? Final Question (Answer separate from above): Address social factors such as population growth, poverty, education, and the media as it relates to the above. Helpful Links: This article provides a brief overview of the population statistics for the Middle East and Africa, as well as some of the challenges facing a growing population in poverty-stricken nations. • ISA. (2017, January 10). The impact of the population explosion in the Middle East and Africa. The notion of a female terrorist is not new: the Tamil Tigers recruited women back in the 1980s and the all-female Chechen terrorist group, Black Widows, has been active since the early 2000s. However, the role of women in terrorist organizations has changed throughout the last decade. ISIS transformed the idea of terrorism into a “family affair” with a purpose for every family member. The primary role for women in the Islamic State is to “serve the state via procreation” and to educate children. • Cronin, C. (2019, July 8). Recruiters and fighters: understanding female terrorists today. American Security Project. Tightening security environments are encouraging jihadis to turn increasingly to the family unit for recruits. This phenomenon complicates efforts to detect, monitor, and prevent violent radicalization. Kinship recruitment, which is difficult for security agencies to observe, is facilitated by several psychological mechanisms that bind individuals together on the path to extremism. Importantly, it deters ambivalent recruits from defecting to the authorities for fear of damaging their own valued relationships. • Hafez, M. M. (2016). The ties that bind: How terrorists exploit family bonds. CTC Sentinel, 9(2), 15-18. Young people are a vital source of support for many terrorist groups, with roles ranging from cooks to armed fighters. But the ways young people are recruited vary widely across contexts. In many cases, young people join terrorist groups because they are duped, trafficked, kidnapped, or forcibly recruited. Others join terrorist groups voluntarily owing to the appeal of a group-based identity; perceptions of exclusion, grievances, or cultural threats; the promise of economic stability; prospects of fame, glory, or respect; and personal connections, including family and friendship networks. • Darden, J. T. (2019). Tackling Terrorists' Exploitation of Youth. Washington, DC: American Enterprise Institute. With terrorist recruitment and Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race in the spotlight, Senate lawmakers grilled executives with Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter on their companies' efforts to keep America safe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1lbFqocYzw (Video) Australia’s Security Intelligence Organization reports a rise in potential terrorists motivated by COVID-19 and more foreign spies targeting Aussie politicians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paY_pnlGOck (Video) A look at the link between terror and the media —the way it shapes lives, government policy, and even the actions of extremists. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJvOJ4F12dE (Video)