Date of Award
2012-01-01
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Political Science
Advisor(s)
Larry A. Valero
Abstract
From 2005 to 2011, at least 41 Americans joined, or attempted to join, al-Shabaab, Somalia's preeminent terrorist organization. This thesis examines the radicalization process for al-Shabaab's American recruits by dividing the sample into two groups: non-Somali and Somali. The author employs causal flow diagramming as a means of visualizing each group's unique radicalization pathway. While most of the non-Somali recruits were motivated by political grievances and Salafism, most of the Somali recruits were motivated by identity conflict and nationalism. Considering al-Shabaab is both a religious and an ethno-nationalist terrorist organization, these results make sense. Radicalization within diaspora communities is a growing trend that must be addressed to prevent more at-risk youth from becoming terrorist recruits.
Language
en
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
Copyright Date
2012
File Size
94 pages
File Format
application/pdf
Rights Holder
Matthew Wade Richardson
Recommended Citation
Richardson, Matthew Wade, "Al-Shabaab's American Recruits: A Comparative Analysis of Two Radicalization Pathways" (2012). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 2379.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/2379