To the public, they were either naïve jihadi brides or calculating monsters. But most of the women in this book were neither passive nor predatory, and trying to pin down their degree of agency seemed to be only one line of inquiry, and certainly not the most revealing. Some collaborated or acted knowingly; some were so young that, despite the outward appearance of deliberate choice, they were not mature enough to exercise anything approaching adult judgment.
There is an error in invoking their age and maturity. Most of the international recruits were adults. And many young adults who were similarly exposed to the recruitment efforts did not respond by running away.
