Logo: to the web site of the Swedish Defence University

This thesis seeks to explain why it is seen as possible and meaningful for Western countries to deny IS women to return home after the fall of the Caliphate. Earlier, IS women have been allowed to return. According to previous research, women in war are commonly constructed as innocent victims within the “beautiful soul” narrative. Violent women interrupt this narrative and have traditionally been seen as deviant. Female terrorism is often explained by sexual obsession or dysfunction. Both these narratives construct women in war as apolitical without agency. Accordingly, women have not been viewed as security threats since their motives are personal rather than political. If that is still the case, there should be no obstacles for IS women to come home. The thesis use Faircloughs critical discourse analysis to examine western media coverage in order to explain why Western countries deny IS women to return. The empirical analysis displays a discursive transformation, where IS women are described as dangerous, decision-making political agents which could compose national security threats. This shift has made new political practices possible.