What forces shape the fate of European women and men who joined the Islamic State?
And what is happening with their children?
Photo by Martijn van Exel
What is Borders, Boundaries, Bodies?
Despite making their long-term home there, Europe’s Muslims continue to be marginalized politically, socially, economically, and culturally. In the early 2010s, a small group of Muslim women and men explicitly rejected what Europe stands for, moving to Syria and joining various terrorist organizations. Representing a minute percentage of Europe’s Muslims, these women, men and their children receive a disproportionate share of attention in the media, and parliaments, with most European governments being reluctant to repatriate their citizens. A number of governments have decided to strip Syria-goers of their citizenship. Our research shows how the media, politics, and the law generate a distinct logic of non-belonging that extends beyond those who went to Syria. These actors inscribe territorial borders and socio-political boundaries upon Muslim bodies. On this website, we share resources and information related to our research.
Explore the site
Where are they now?
Brief description of overall numbers of Syria goers and short stories of four individual women
Resources
Links to reports, organizations, web posts, and scholarly articles that inform our research
About Our Project
Project description, a glossary, and project data
The Research Team
Information on the principal investigators and research assistants working on this project
Ethics of Research
A reflection on ethics when doing this research, with a short video and podcast segment useful for teaching