Queer Intimacies : Rethinking Epistemology of Conducting Research with Jihadist Group Members
(2025) In Lund dissertations in sociology- Abstract
- This dissertation is an article compilation thesis that explores the possibility of producing humanistic social science in general, using the case of conducting research on jihadist group members within the ‘War on Terror’ context. Empirically, the study employs first-hand interviews of jihadist group members in France. It finds that employing queer theory, crip theory, and affect theory to analyze both participants’ lived reality and the way one ought to produce knowledge provides novel insights. Challenging reductionist narratives that frame jihadist group members as deviant or monstrous, it argues for nuanced interpretations that account for their complex lived experiences. The dissertation proposes to focus on intimacy—romantic... (More)
- This dissertation is an article compilation thesis that explores the possibility of producing humanistic social science in general, using the case of conducting research on jihadist group members within the ‘War on Terror’ context. Empirically, the study employs first-hand interviews of jihadist group members in France. It finds that employing queer theory, crip theory, and affect theory to analyze both participants’ lived reality and the way one ought to produce knowledge provides novel insights. Challenging reductionist narratives that frame jihadist group members as deviant or monstrous, it argues for nuanced interpretations that account for their complex lived experiences. The dissertation proposes to focus on intimacy—romantic relationships, friendships, and familial bonds—as the locus of projection and assignation of monstrosity as well as a space of agency and autonomy for the subjects of study. The theoretical framework presented therein advocates for de-exceptionalizing these actors and introduces critical (re)contextualization as a tool for ethical scholarship. This perspective situates jihadist group members as individuals inscribed in modernity whose aspirations and struggles often mirror broader and banal societal dynamics. Considering the question of how to concretely produce knowledge in this field, the thesis critiques the emotional and affectual regime prevalent in terrorism studies, advocating for data-gathering methods that consider both the researcher’s and subject’s inherent human vulnerability and agency. The dissertation concludes by urging scholars to critically examine how the War on Terror perpetuates colonial and imperial legacies in the way one produces knowledge, advocating for a justice-oriented—and tangible—humanistic sociological practice, one which ought to resist dehumanizing narratives. The dissertation proposes playfulness and metaphor as epistemological interventions, provoking readers to embark on a journey of exploring surprising parallels, revealing the narrow parameters confining pre-existing scholarship. This work ultimately provides a humanistic model for engaging with subjects in politically charged contexts, emphasizing unconditional empathy and care for all as an imperative ethical minimal threshold in sociology and beyond. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Denna avhandling är en sammanläggningsavhandling som utforskar möjligheterna att producera humanistisk samhällsvetenskap om "terrorism" och jihadism genom att använda queerteori, cripteori och affektteori. Den analyserar både jihadistiska gruppmedlemmar och sättet att producera kunskap om dessa ämnen. Genom att utmana reduktionistiska narrativ som framställer dessa individer som avvikande eller monstruösa, argumenterar avhandlingen för nyanserade tolkningar som beaktar deras komplexa levda erfarenheter. Genom att fokusera på intimitet – romantiska relationer, vänskapsband och familjerelationer – synliggör den förbiseddas dimensioner av jihadistiska erfarenheter. Den illustrerar hur personliga relationer formas av normer och
regleringar... (More) - Denna avhandling är en sammanläggningsavhandling som utforskar möjligheterna att producera humanistisk samhällsvetenskap om "terrorism" och jihadism genom att använda queerteori, cripteori och affektteori. Den analyserar både jihadistiska gruppmedlemmar och sättet att producera kunskap om dessa ämnen. Genom att utmana reduktionistiska narrativ som framställer dessa individer som avvikande eller monstruösa, argumenterar avhandlingen för nyanserade tolkningar som beaktar deras komplexa levda erfarenheter. Genom att fokusera på intimitet – romantiska relationer, vänskapsband och familjerelationer – synliggör den förbiseddas dimensioner av jihadistiska erfarenheter. Den illustrerar hur personliga relationer formas av normer och
regleringar från olika aktörer på olika geografiska och tidsmässiga nivåer. Den teoretiska ramen förespråkar en avexceptionalisering av dessa aktörer och introducerar defetischisering genom kritisk kontextualisering som ett verktyg för etisk forskning.
Detta perspektiv positionerar medlemmar av jihadistiska grupper som individer
inskrivna i moderniteten, vars aspirationer och utmaningar ofta speglar bredare och banala samhällsdynamiker. Empiriskt bygger studien på förstahandsintervjuer med jihadistiska gruppmedlemmar i Frankrike. Den kritiserar även det emotionella och affektiva regimen som råder inom terrorismstudier och förespråkar datainsamlingsmetoder som beaktar både forskarens och subjektets inneboende mänskliga sårbarhet och handlingskraft. Avhandlingen avslutas med en uppmaning till forskare att kritiskt granska hur kriget mot terrorism reproducerar koloniala och imperialistiska arv i sättet att producera kunskap. Den förespråkar en rättviseorienterad sociologi som motstår statliga narrativ som avhumaniserar i sättet att både producera kunskap och engagera sig med forskningssubjekt. Lekfullhet och metaforer fungerar
som epistemologiska interventioner genom hela avhandlingen, och de bjuder in läsaren till en resa där överraskande paralleller erbjuder nya insikter i fenomen som redan varit föremål för omfattande forskning. Slutligen erbjuder detta arbete en humanistisk modell för att engagera sig med subjekt i politiskt laddade kontexter, med betoning på empati och omsorg för alla, oavsett om de har deltagit i icke-statlig väpnad militans eller inte. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/cdaafd34-53ca-4d27-920a-a5750b0ec258
- author
- Tollu, Aube LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Sjoberg, Laura, University of Oxford
- organization
- alternative title
- Queera intimiter : Omprövning av epistemologin för forskning med medlemmar i jihadistgrupper
- publishing date
- 2025-01
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Terrorism Studies, jihadism, queer, ISIS Islamic State in Iraq and Al- Sham
- in
- Lund dissertations in sociology
- edition
- 1st
- pages
- 210 pages
- publisher
- Lund University
- defense location
- Världen, Geocentrum I, Sölvegatan 10, Lund
- defense date
- 2025-02-27 13:00:00
- ISSN
- 1102–4712
- ISBN
- 978-91-8104-337-2
- 978-91-8104-338-9
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- cdaafd34-53ca-4d27-920a-a5750b0ec258
- date added to LUP
- 2025-01-22 11:02:26
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 14:37:42
@phdthesis{cdaafd34-53ca-4d27-920a-a5750b0ec258,
abstract = {{This dissertation is an article compilation thesis that explores the possibility of producing humanistic social science in general, using the case of conducting research on jihadist group members within the ‘War on Terror’ context. Empirically, the study employs first-hand interviews of jihadist group members in France. It finds that employing queer theory, crip theory, and affect theory to analyze both participants’ lived reality and the way one ought to produce knowledge provides novel insights. Challenging reductionist narratives that frame jihadist group members as deviant or monstrous, it argues for nuanced interpretations that account for their complex lived experiences. The dissertation proposes to focus on intimacy—romantic relationships, friendships, and familial bonds—as the locus of projection and assignation of monstrosity as well as a space of agency and autonomy for the subjects of study. The theoretical framework presented therein advocates for de-exceptionalizing these actors and introduces critical (re)contextualization as a tool for ethical scholarship. This perspective situates jihadist group members as individuals inscribed in modernity whose aspirations and struggles often mirror broader and banal societal dynamics. Considering the question of how to concretely produce knowledge in this field, the thesis critiques the emotional and affectual regime prevalent in terrorism studies, advocating for data-gathering methods that consider both the researcher’s and subject’s inherent human vulnerability and agency. The dissertation concludes by urging scholars to critically examine how the War on Terror perpetuates colonial and imperial legacies in the way one produces knowledge, advocating for a justice-oriented—and tangible—humanistic sociological practice, one which ought to resist dehumanizing narratives. The dissertation proposes playfulness and metaphor as epistemological interventions, provoking readers to embark on a journey of exploring surprising parallels, revealing the narrow parameters confining pre-existing scholarship. This work ultimately provides a humanistic model for engaging with subjects in politically charged contexts, emphasizing unconditional empathy and care for all as an imperative ethical minimal threshold in sociology and beyond.}},
author = {{Tollu, Aube}},
isbn = {{978-91-8104-337-2}},
issn = {{1102–4712}},
keywords = {{Terrorism Studies; jihadism; queer; ISIS Islamic State in Iraq and Al- Sham}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
series = {{Lund dissertations in sociology}},
title = {{Queer Intimacies : Rethinking Epistemology of Conducting Research with Jihadist Group Members}},
year = {{2025}},
}