Efraim Benmelech|Esteban F. Klor
What Explains the Flow of Foreign Fighters to ISIS?
Northwestern University|National Bureau of Economic Research|Hebrew University of Jerusalem|Centre for Economic Policy Research
paper provides first systematic analysis link countries economic political social conditions global phenomenon isis foreign fighters find poor economic conditions drive participation isis contrast number isis foreign fighters positively correlated countrys gdp per capita human development index hdi many foreign fighters originate countries high levels economic development low income inequality highly developed political institutions factors explain number isis foreign fighters size countrys muslim population ethnic homogeneity although cannot directly determine people join isis results suggest flow foreign fighters isis driven economic political conditions rather ideology difficulty assimilation homogenous western countries conclusions consistent related qualitative literature relies personal profiles isis foreign fighters