Back
About RSIS
Introduction
Building the Foundations
Welcome Message
Board of Governors
Staff Profiles
Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
Dean’s Office
Management
Distinguished Fellows
Faculty and Research
Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
Visiting Fellows
Adjunct Fellows
Administrative Staff
Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
RSIS Endowment Fund
Endowed Professorships
Career Opportunities
Getting to RSIS
Research
Research Centres
Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
Research Programmes
National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)
Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
Other Research
Future Issues and Technology Cluster
Research@RSIS
Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
Graduate Education
Graduate Programmes Office
Exchange Partners and Programmes
How to Apply
Financial Assistance
Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
RSIS Alumni
Outreach
Global Networks
About Global Networks
RSIS Alumni
International Programmes
About International Programmes
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)
International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
Executive Education
About Executive Education
SRP Executive Programme
Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
Public Education
About Public Education
Publications
RSIS Publications
Annual Reviews
Books
Bulletins and Newsletters
RSIS Commentary Series
Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
Commemorative / Event Reports
Future Issues
IDSS Papers
Interreligious Relations
Monographs
NTS Insight
Policy Reports
Working Papers
External Publications
Authored Books
Journal Articles
Edited Books
Chapters in Edited Books
Policy Reports
Working Papers
Op-Eds
Glossary of Abbreviations
Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
RSIS Publications for the Year
External Publications for the Year
Media
News Releases
Speeches
Video Channel
Podcast
Events
Contact Us
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University
  • About RSIS
      IntroductionBuilding the FoundationsWelcome MessageBoard of GovernorsHonours and Awards for RSIS Staff and StudentsRSIS Endowment FundEndowed ProfessorshipsCareer OpportunitiesGetting to RSIS
      Staff ProfilesExecutive Deputy Chairman’s OfficeDean’s OfficeManagementDistinguished FellowsFaculty and ResearchAssociate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research AnalystsVisiting FellowsAdjunct FellowsAdministrative Staff
  • Research
      Research CentresCentre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      Research ProgrammesNational Security Studies Programme (NSSP)Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      Other ResearchFuture Issues and Technology ClusterResearch@RSISScience and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      Graduate Programmes OfficeExchange Partners and ProgrammesHow to ApplyFinancial AssistanceMeet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other eventsRSIS Alumni
  • Outreach
      Global NetworksAbout Global NetworksRSIS Alumni
      International ProgrammesAbout International ProgrammesAsia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
      Executive EducationAbout Executive EducationSRP Executive ProgrammeTerrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
      Public EducationAbout Public Education
  • Publications
      RSIS PublicationsAnnual ReviewsBooksBulletins and NewslettersRSIS Commentary SeriesCounter Terrorist Trends and AnalysesCommemorative / Event ReportsFuture IssuesIDSS PapersInterreligious RelationsMonographsNTS InsightPolicy ReportsWorking Papers
      External PublicationsAuthored BooksJournal ArticlesEdited BooksChapters in Edited BooksPolicy ReportsWorking PapersOp-Eds
      Glossary of AbbreviationsPolicy-relevant Articles Given RSIS AwardRSIS Publications for the YearExternal Publications for the Year
  • Media
      News ReleasesSpeechesVideo ChannelPodcast
  • Events
  • Contact Us
    • Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
      rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
      rsis.sg
      rsissg
      RSIS
      RSS
      Subscribe to RSIS Publications
      Subscribe to RSIS Events

      Getting to RSIS

      Nanyang Technological University
      Block S4, Level B3,
      50 Nanyang Avenue,
      Singapore 639798

      Click here for direction to RSIS
Connect
Search
  • RSIS
  • Publication
  • External Publications
  • Transnational Volunteers Against ISIS
  • Authored Books
  • Journal Articles
  • Edited Books
  • Chapters in Edited Books
  • Policy Reports
  • Working Papers
  • Op-Eds
  • External Publications for the Year
Transnational Volunteers Against ISIS
by Shashi Jayakumar

23 August 2019

Transnational Volunteers Against ISIS

The age of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has seen a great deal of ink spilt on the “Foreign Terrorist Fighter” (FTF) phenomenon. Researchers have placed particular emphasis on understanding those FTFs from Western countries joining ISIS and other jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, such as Jabhat al‑Nusra (now Jabhat Fatah al‑Sham). At the core of these studies are databases that store information on the background, antecedents and other variables, such as personalities and motivations. Two efforts stand out: one is the database (and associated research efforts) by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), at King’s College London. Another database, by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), at the University of Maryland, currently includes information on approximately 290 individuals who have been publically identified as having left, attempted to leave or expressed an interest in leaving the United States to join foreign conflicts. This work and similar efforts have thrown much needed light on the issue of FTFs and the groups they join.

This article attempts to make a small contribution to the literature on these foreign volunteers through an exploration of the underreported phenomenon of the volunteers travelling to Syria and Iraq to take part in the fight against ISIS and other jihadist groups. The core of the study draws on a database set up in late 2014, when the first volunteers began to appear on social media and early reports of Western fighters in Syria began to filter through to the mainstream media. The database has been continuously updated to the present. As of 1 August 2019, this database has details of 500 individuals,4 making it one of the largest of its kind.

The first part of this paper sets out the background to the issue of FTFs, provides a survey of previous relevant studies and introduces the database that underpins the present study, describing how it was developed, giving the criteria for inclusion as well as the reasoning behind some of the decisions in database construction. The second part examines the motivations of the anti‑ISIS volunteers by looking at implications prompted by the involvement of these individuals in the anti‑ISIS conflict both at a personal level and from the point of view of governments and legal regimes. Finally, some avenues for further study are suggested.

Categories: Working Papers
Source: Transnational Volunteers Against ISIS
Citation: Shashi Jayakumar, Transnational Volunteers Against ISIS, The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), King's College London, United KIngdom, 23 August 2019

Transnational Volunteers Against ISIS

The age of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has seen a great deal of ink spilt on the “Foreign Terrorist Fighter” (FTF) phenomenon. Researchers have placed particular emphasis on understanding those FTFs from Western countries joining ISIS and other jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, such as Jabhat al‑Nusra (now Jabhat Fatah al‑Sham). At the core of these studies are databases that store information on the background, antecedents and other variables, such as personalities and motivations. Two efforts stand out: one is the database (and associated research efforts) by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), at King’s College London. Another database, by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), at the University of Maryland, currently includes information on approximately 290 individuals who have been publically identified as having left, attempted to leave or expressed an interest in leaving the United States to join foreign conflicts. This work and similar efforts have thrown much needed light on the issue of FTFs and the groups they join.

This article attempts to make a small contribution to the literature on these foreign volunteers through an exploration of the underreported phenomenon of the volunteers travelling to Syria and Iraq to take part in the fight against ISIS and other jihadist groups. The core of the study draws on a database set up in late 2014, when the first volunteers began to appear on social media and early reports of Western fighters in Syria began to filter through to the mainstream media. The database has been continuously updated to the present. As of 1 August 2019, this database has details of 500 individuals,4 making it one of the largest of its kind.

The first part of this paper sets out the background to the issue of FTFs, provides a survey of previous relevant studies and introduces the database that underpins the present study, describing how it was developed, giving the criteria for inclusion as well as the reasoning behind some of the decisions in database construction. The second part examines the motivations of the anti‑ISIS volunteers by looking at implications prompted by the involvement of these individuals in the anti‑ISIS conflict both at a personal level and from the point of view of governments and legal regimes. Finally, some avenues for further study are suggested.

Categories: Working Papers
Source: Transnational Volunteers Against ISIS
Citation: Shashi Jayakumar, Transnational Volunteers Against ISIS, The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), King's College London, United KIngdom, 23 August 2019

Popular Links

About RSISResearch ProgrammesGraduate EducationPublicationsEventsAdmissionsCareersVideo/Audio ChannelRSIS Intranet

Connect with Us

rsis.ntu
rsis_ntu
rsisntu
rsisvideocast
school/rsis-ntu
rsis.sg
rsissg
RSIS
RSS
Subscribe to RSIS Publications
Subscribe to RSIS Events

Getting to RSIS

Nanyang Technological University
Block S4, Level B3,
50 Nanyang Avenue,
Singapore 639798

Click here for direction to RSIS

Get in Touch

    Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
    Privacy Statement / Terms of Use
    Help us improve

      Rate your experience with this website
      123456
      Not satisfiedVery satisfied
      What did you like?
      0/255 characters
      What can be improved?
      0/255 characters
      Your email
      Please enter a valid email.
      Thank you for your feedback.
      This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
      OK
      Latest Book
      more info