This unique study examines Western foreign fighters in Syria during the Civil War through 2015. Syria has become a beacon for foreign fighters. Estimates in 2015 indicate that over 20,000 men and women have gone there to fight for various insurgent groups. This conflict is unique due to the unprecedented number of Westerners fighting. The central purpose of this study is to better understand recruitment and mobilization mechanisms as they pertain to fighters from Western nations. Why are these men and women leaving the relative safety of the West to enter a violent internecine conflict? What will happen if they decide to return home? To answer these questions, this thesis constructs 20 Western foreign fighter profiles from open source demographic, biographical, and motivational information, and then presents the findings. In particular, three variables-networks, anchoring, and group dynamics-are evaluated as critical drivers of recruitment and mobilization. The findings of this research show that traditional social networks, such as kinship, occupational, and religious groups, are most effective at recruiting and mobilizing prospective foreign fighters. Also, the data shows anchored individuals rarely mobilize. Furthermore, group dynamics appear critical to the mobilization of foreign fighters into Syria. Finally, the findings do not support social media efficacy in recruitment or mobilization. CHAPTER I * INTRODUCTION * A. MAJOR RESEARCH QUESTION * B. SIGNIFICANCE * C. LITERATURE REVIEW * D. POTENTIAL EXPLANATIONS AND HYPOTHESES * E. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY * F. THESIS OVERVIEW * CHAPTER II * THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR AND THE RISE OF FOREIGN FIGHTERS * A. THE SYRIAN CONFLICT (2011-2015) * B. FOREIGN FIGHTERS IN SYRIA AND IRAQ * 1. EMERGENCE * 2. GROWTH * 3. FOREIGN FIGHTERS IN 2015 * C. CONCLUSION * CHAPTER III * WESTERN FOREIGN FIGHTERS IN SYRIA * A. INTRODUCTION * B. WESTERN FOREIGN FIGHTER DATA * 1. METHODOLOGY * 2. ASSESSED VARIABLES * a. Networks * b. Anchoring * c. Group Dynamics * 3. DATA RESULTS AND ANALYSIS * a. Demographics and Biographical Data * b. Networks, Anchoring, and Group Dynamics * C. WESTERN FOREIGN FIGHTERS: EXISTING STUDIES * D. CONCLUSION * CHAPTER IV * CONCLUSION * A. INTRODUCTION * B. HYPOTHESIS EVALUATION * 1. H1: IDEOLOGY * 2. H2: TRADITIONAL SOCIAL NETWORKS (TSN) * 3. H3: ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKS (OSN) * 4. H4: GROUP DYNAMICS * C. IMPLICATIONS * D. FOLLOW-ON RESEARCH * LIST OF REFERENCES