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Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: a radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614110312562688 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Forster, Courtney Paige |
| author2 | Lamb, Guy |
| author_browse | Forster, Courtney Paige Lamb, Guy |
| author_facet | Lamb, Guy Forster, Courtney Paige |
| author_sort | Forster, Courtney Paige |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132365 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:49.940Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132365 Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: a radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab Forster, Courtney Paige Lamb, Guy Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. Terrorist organizations -- Social aspects -- Africa Gender identity -- Political aspects -- Africa Gender-based violence -- Africa Boko Haram Shabaab (Organization) Jihad Islamic fundamentalism -- Africa Feminism -- Africa UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Forster, C. P. 2025. Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: A radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/e71c5aa4-86fc-4904-95b5-d7ece12d2ac5 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the roles women play in terrorist organisations and how these roles perpetuate gender stereotypes, focusing on Boko Haram in Nigeria and al Shabaab in Somalia. The gender stereotypes being considered are obligatory motherhood, the sexualization and subordination of women, the institutionalized favouring of men over women, and violence against women, as these all contribute to the maintenance of patriarchal structures in society. Using a comparative case study approach and framed by radical feminist theory, the research explores how patriarchal structures within these organisations reinforce traditional gender norms. The study adopts a qualitative, desktop-based methodology, analysing secondary data to understand the intersection of gender, militarisation, and religious extremism. It investigates how women are recruited, the roles they assume, and to what extent these roles reflect broader societal norms that confine women to subordinate positions. The research is grounded in three key propositions: (1) The more militarised a terrorist group, the more likely it is to reinforce gender stereotypes; (2) The more radicalised the group’s religious foundations, the more likely it is to reproduce gender stereotypes; and (3) The more patriarchal the society in which the group operates, the more likely it is to reproduce gender stereotypes. Boko Haram and al Shabaab both exhibit patriarchal structures that assign women specific roles, such as domestic duties or participation in attacks, often through coercion or ideological influence. These roles reinforce the subordination of women and align with societal expectations of gender, rooted in patriarchy and upheld by the groups’ militarised and extremist religious ideologies. The study finds that both groups reproduce traditional gender norms (although with some differing motives and intentions), limiting women’s roles to those that serve the organisation’s goals while reinforcing male dominance. The research contributes to terrorism studies by applying a gendered lens, showing how radical feminist theory can illuminate the ways terrorist organisations reinforce patriarchal systems. It highlights the need to consider gender dynamics when analysing terrorism, as the treatment of women within these groups reflects broader societal inequalities. The study also offers insights into how these groups manipulate religious and militaristic frameworks to maintain control over women, contributing to a deeper understanding of the intersection between gender and terrorism. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die rolle wat vroue in terreurorganisasies vervul en hoe hierdie rolle geslagsstereotipes voortbestaan, met spesifieke fokus op Boko Haram in Nigerië en al Shabaab in Somalië. Die geslagsstereotipes wat oorweeg word, sluit in verpligte moederskap, die seksualisering en ondergeskiktheid van vroue, die institusionele bevoordeling van mans bo vroue, en geweld teen vroue, aangesien hierdie faktore bydra tot die instandhouding van patriargale strukture in die samelewing. Deur gebruik te maak van ’n vergelykende gevallestudiebenadering en radikale feministiese teorie as raamwerk, ondersoek die navorsing hoe patriargale strukture binne hierdie organisasies tradisionele geslagsnorme versterk. Die studie gebruik ’n kwalitatiewe, dokument-gebaseerde metodologie en analiseer sekondêre data om die kruispunt tussen geslag, militarisering en godsdienstige ekstremisme te verstaan. Dit ondersoek hoe vroue gewerf word, die rolle wat hulle vervul, en in watter mate hierdie rolle breër maatskaplike norme weerspieël wat vroue tot ondergeskikte posisies beperk. Die navorsing is gegrond op drie sleutelvoorstelle: (1) Hoe meer gemilitariseer ’n terreurgroep is, hoe groter is die waarskynlikheid dat geslagsstereotipes versterk sal word; (2) Hoe meer geradikaliseer die groep se godsdienstige grondslae is, hoe groter is die waarskynlikheid dat geslagsstereotipes gerepliseer sal word; en (3) Hoe meer patriargaal die samelewing is waarin die groep opereer, hoe meer waarskynlik is dit dat geslagsstereotipes voortbestaan. Boko Haram en al Shabaab toon albei patriargale strukture wat vroue spesifieke rolle toeken, soos huishoudelike pligte of deelname aan aanvalle, dikwels deur middel van dwang of ideologiese invloed. Hierdie rolle versterk die ondergeskiktheid van vroue en stem ooreen met die samelewing se geslagsverwagtinge, gewortel in patriargie en gehandhaaf deur die groepe se gemilitariseerde en ekstremistiese godsdienstige ideologieë. Die studie bevind dat beide groepe tradisionele geslagsnorme repliseer (hoewel met verskillende motiewe en doeleindes), wat vroue se rolle beperk tot dié wat die organisasie se doelwitte dien terwyl manlike dominansie versterk word. Die navorsing dra by tot terreurstudies deur ’n geslagslens toe te pas, en toon hoe radikale feministiese teorie kan lig werp op die maniere waarop terreurorganisasies patriargale stelsels versterk. Dit beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid om geslagsdinamika in ag te neem wanneer terrorisme geanaliseer word, aangesien die behandeling van vroue binne hierdie groepe breër maatskaplike ongelykhede weerspieël. Die studie bied ook insigte oor hoe hierdie groepe godsdienstige en militêre raamwerke manipuleer om beheer oor vroue te handhaaf, wat bydra tot ’n dieper begrip van die verband tussen geslag en terrorisme. Masters 2025-06-05T06:57:21Z 2025-06-05T06:57:21Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132365 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 133 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Terrorist organizations -- Social aspects -- Africa Gender identity -- Political aspects -- Africa Gender-based violence -- Africa Boko Haram Shabaab (Organization) Jihad Islamic fundamentalism -- Africa Feminism -- Africa UCTD Forster, Courtney Paige Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: a radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab |
| title | Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: a radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab |
| title_full | Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: a radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab |
| title_fullStr | Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: a radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: a radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab |
| title_short | Gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in Africa: a radical feminist comparative study of Boko Haram and al Shabaab |
| title_sort | gender roles and relations in terrorist organizations in africa a radical feminist comparative study of boko haram and al shabaab |
| topic | Terrorist organizations -- Social aspects -- Africa Gender identity -- Political aspects -- Africa Gender-based violence -- Africa Boko Haram Shabaab (Organization) Jihad Islamic fundamentalism -- Africa Feminism -- Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132365 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT forstercourtneypaige genderrolesandrelationsinterroristorganizationsinafricaaradicalfeministcomparativestudyofbokoharamandalshabaab |