Unpacking the gendered co-participation in political violence: Women fighters during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda

How does gender influence participation in violence? Research shows that women are less likely than men to engage in direct violence. However, women remain consequential actors in conflicts. Drawing on gendered understandings of conflict, we argue that mobilization is shaped by gendered homophily within social networks. We theorize that both men and women are likely to mobilize with individuals of the same gender. However, this effect is more pronounced for women due to differences in how men and women are mobilized for conflict, as well as other forms of political engagement. To test this argument, we utilize data from the 1994 genocide that targeted Tutsi in Rwanda. Using network analysis, we demonstrate the pivotal role women played in mobilizing other women to commit violence. This article broadens our understanding of network dynamics in conflict and emphasizes the importance of gendered differences in mobilization patterns for political processes.