Female Suicide Bombers

Celebrated as liberators and martyrs by those who support their cause, denounced as terrorists by their opponents, suicide bombers have become all too common in violent conflicts worldwide. The female suicide bomber is a relative newcomer to the landscapes of war, but more and more women are being recruited for self-sacrifice.

This work discusses the history of suicide bombing and profiles the female suicide bomber. It raises the question of why women are increasingly used as bombers and explores the Western societal biases that tend to cast women in nonviolent roles. Battlegrounds discussed include Lebanon, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Chechnya, and Israel and Palestine. Because bombers do not operate as individuals but at the direction of organizations, this book also examines the organizations, their scope and training methods. It concludes with a discussion of strategies for the future and advocates continued human rights watch and continued global intervention.

The late Rosemarie Skaine was a sociologist and lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Her writing interests included families and women’s issues.