Arts , Humanities & Social Science

Abstract

Throughout the prominence of the Islamic State (IS), the world became captivated by the stories of the women involved in this extremist organization. Many openly question why women from all over the world choose to join a group extremely violent towards women in the region and in their own ranks. This paper examines the women of IS and their reasons for interacting with the group. Through the lenses of Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of ‘male as subject and women as other’ and the feminist viewpoints on alienation, the paper questions whether women actually are welcomed in the world. By exploring the various women of IS and their experiences before and after interacting with the group, this paper discovers that alienation is a theme throughout a woman’s life. Thus, in conclusion, it is discovered that the women of IS make their decisions based on their desire to be included, but as second class citizens they will be alienated wherever they go.