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Female Suicide Terrorism in South Asia: Comparing the Tamil Separatists and Kashmir Insurgents

Author

Listed:
  • Vandana Bhatia

    (Vandana Bhatia is Lecturer, Political Science, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA. E-mail: vbhatia@ualberta.ca)

  • W. Andy Knight

    (W. Andy Knight is Professor, Political Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada and Director, Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago. E-mail: andy.knight@sta.uwi.edu)

Abstract

In this article we compare two conflicts in South Asia—civil war in Sri Lanka and the insurgency in Kashmir—to investigate the enabling conditions for female suicide terrorism in the former, and the lack thereof in the latter. We conclude that female suicide terrorism is a product of several inter-related factors that feed into each other: (i) tormented society, (ii) individual grievances, and (iii) a terrorist organisation with an effective indoctrination structure. Thus, rather than focusing on the individual motivations behind the female bombers, it is important to situate them in specific socio-political contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Vandana Bhatia & W. Andy Knight, 2011. "Female Suicide Terrorism in South Asia: Comparing the Tamil Separatists and Kashmir Insurgents," South Asian Survey, , vol. 18(1), pages 7-26, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:soasur:v:18:y:2011:i:1:p:7-26
    DOI: 10.1177/0971523112469481
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