Networks, Marriage, and Socioeconomics: Comparing the Men and Women of the Islamic State

Social networks, marriage, and socioeconomic deprivation are considered determinants of participation in political violence. But whether they equally impact men and women's involvement is not known. This study uses log-linear models to compare 468 Western men and women who joined the Islamic State. Significant differences between them are found. Though their education and employment levels are similar, women are less likely than men to be connected to pro-IS networks and more likely to have already been married before joining. The findings suggest that men joined the IS through their existing social networks, while women joined by breaking away from them.