Homegrown: ISIS in America

by Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens, Seamus Hughes, Bennett Clifford

How big is the threat posed by American ISIS supporters? How many Americans have joined ISIS and how many want to return to the United States? Compared to participation by Americans in other jihadist groups, the scale of American involvement in jihadist activity today is unprecedented. This book, from one of the leading counter-terror centres, draws on first-hand interviews with former American Islamic State members and law enforcement officials who tracked them, and includes detailed analysis of the court cases against them and their social media presence. Homegrown reveals how and why ISIS was able to radicalize and recruit a new generation of jihadist sympathizers in America.

Genres: History, Politics, Terrorism

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 12, 2020

Reviews

[Caroline David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed security studies whether foreign or domestic. I absolutely loved this book and learned so much. It was extremely informative but not enough to ever bore the reader or overwhelm them.

[Jeni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gripped me as it explored the many ways in which ISIS has been more successful than other terrorist or extremist organizations in recruitment and engagement. Social media and international access to the internet have really changed the game in recruitment and have increased the involvement of American-born or raised extremist in violent plots, as people can now "contribute" from their own homes without needing to necessarily travel. I found the chapter reviewing how America has addressed countering violent extremism and rehabilitating extremists to be very interesting - there is much growth to be made here.

[Ruslan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the book for reading in advance and I have almost finished it, and I can now say that the book is a very important addition to the whole discourse about ISIS and the propaganda of the organization.

It's not just about how ISIS attracts people in the United States - a territory that I think researchers and journalists, myself included, are still unfamiliar with. It is also about the operational activities of the group, the motives of members and its supporters. I recommend both ordinary readers and researchers reading this book.

[Sean Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you get a non-fiction book that can be incredibly dry or read like someone is submitting a thesis - thankfully, that is not the case here. Guiding the reader through the intricacies of ISIS radicalization and recruitment within the US allows us to gain a better understanding of how, where and why individuals are drawn to a terrorist organisation. Whilst the book focuses on the US, parallels can be drawn on foreign policy and radicalization techniques globally. An insightful read.