“You are no longer cubs, you are now lions”: examining the constructed masculinities of Islamic State child executioners and their victims

ABSTRACT

Integral to its military and state-building activities, the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation recruited and mobilised large numbers of children into its ranks. The group’s propaganda publications showcase the commitment and skills of its young male militants, with footage focused on training in weapons handling and hand-to-hand combat. Marketed as a potent weapon against IS’ enemies, a sub-set of propaganda videos foregrounds the role of boys in the ultra-violent executions of hostages. This article presents analysis of 20 official IS propaganda videos released between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018, in which 71 boys conducted on-camera executions on behalf of the group. Data presented include the setting and method of killing; the profile and “charge” of the victim; and the boy’s nationality, age group, and “justifications” for their acts. Highly staged, these violent displays frame and constitute the status of the young IS “cub” and the adult male hostage as symbols of their respective societies, values, and masculinities. The author examines the juxtaposition of the two figures and their constructed positions in IS’ ideological, military, and masculine hierarchy.

KEYWORDS:

• Islamic State
• children
• masculinity
• execution
• terrorism
• violence

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Dr Devorah Margolin and Hannah Rose for their time and comments in preparing this paper for submission, as well as the anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions that helped to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant, but was partially funded through a doctoral scholarship from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) at King’s College London, drawn from an endowment from M&C Saatchi World Services.

Notes on contributors

Gina Vale

Dr. Gina Vale is a Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College London and an Associate Fellow at M&C Saatchi World Services. Her research addresses issues of gender and security, with a focus on terrorism and violent extremism. E: [email protected]. Twitter: @GinaAVale