The attractions of Salafi-jihadism as a gendered counterculture: Propaganda narratives from the Swedish online “sisters in deen”

By conducting an online ethnographic study of the unofficial propaganda narratives posted on Facebook by Swedish women affiliated with the Salafi-jihadi movement, Dr Henriette Frees Esholdt explores and analyses the female-specific attractions of Salafi-jihadism within a Swedish context in Chapter 4. In addition to the promotion of Sharia law, gender segregation, as well as the maintenance of a patriarchal gender order, Swedish female supporters of the Salafi-jihadi movement clearly counter-narrate the common view of Muslim women as oppressed, and present themselves as strong, free, and empowered individuals – who wish to submit themselves to traditional gender roles. Accordingly, Frees Esholdt argues that Swedish women seem to be attracted to Salafi-jihadism, not despite, but rather because of its patriarchal norms and ideals. As such, Salafi-jihadism constitutes a gendered counterculture to the Western ideal.