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Digging into the domestic roots of jihad

Tara McCormack
Author and academic

David Thomson’s The Returned explores why so many Westerners support ISIS.
Great look at this book - has several items of interest in the book review that some will want a look at.
"So how else does Thomson seek to explain the jihadi phenomenon in the West? He points to the proximity of Syria to Europe, and the fact that, until recently, Turkey made it very easy for would-be ISIS fighters (or brides) to cross the border. He also builds on the work by Marc Sageman and Olivier Roy, in which they explore the prevalence of friendship and kinship networks among foreign jihadists. We also learn that although the majority of homegrown jihadis come from Muslim backgrounds (70 per cent, according to Thomson), most do not come from particularly religious backgrounds, and many lack a religious education. Thus a common theme among foreign jihadis is a kind of Islamic ‘awakening’. Likewise, women tend to only adopt full religious dress shortly before leaving for Syria."