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From caliphate to confederalism: how ISIS and the PYD used gender to consolidate control in the Syrian Civil War

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  • Christina Schmid

Abstract

Recent literature emphasises that insurgent groups instrumentalise gender relations for strategic purposes. However, there is often a disconnect between how gender is wielded rhetorically, through propaganda, and how it plays out on the ground. I seek to explain this disconnect by examining the gendered organisations of the PYD and ISIS in the context of the Syrian Civil War between 2011-2018. In both cases, their propaganda and governance frameworks reflected images of a cohesive society unified by a singular gender ideology. However, in reality, gendered rebel-public interactions were often stratified along cultural, ethnic and political lines. I argue that such inconsistencies can be explained by the need to project an image of the insurgency that aligns with international expectations, whilst simultaneously appealing to goal-rational legitimacy vis a vis local populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina Schmid, 2026. "From caliphate to confederalism: how ISIS and the PYD used gender to consolidate control in the Syrian Civil War," Small Wars and Insurgencies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 363-397, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:fswixx:v:37:y:2026:i:2:p:363-397
    DOI: 10.1080/09592318.2025.2608801
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