Female Militants in South Asia Fighters and Facilitators

"A compelling, well-argued, and well-written comparative study of female militants in five South Asian countries. Professor Ray's impressive command of the theoretical and contextual literature and empirical evidence sets this book apart in its understanding of the dynamics of violence in this critical region." --Bruce Hoffman, Georgetown University Though often portrayed as lacking agency, women in South Asia, in considerable numbers, participate actively in the insurgencies that plague the region--taking up arms alongside men or facilitating recruitment and operations. What compels them to do so? And what roles do they play? Ayesha Ray answers these questions by exploring women's involvement in violent revolutionary and Islamist movements across Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. CONTENTS: Female Militants in South Asia. Revolutionary Fighters and Islamic Militants in India. Seeking Martyrdom and Liberation in Pakistan. The Maoist Commanders of Nepal. Guerrillas in Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers. Islamic Militants in Bangladesh. Looking Beyond South Asia.