Extreme Britain: Gender, Masculinity and Radicalisation

Misogyny and ‘toxic masculinity’ are increasingly implicated in radicalisation. From the men’s incel (‘involuntary celibate’) movement online, to jihadist groups like Islamic State, to radical right ‘Free Speech’ protests — radicalisation spans ideologies. Though an often-used term, the process of radicalisation is not well understood, and the role of gender and masculinities has often been ignored.

In this Ethical Matters talk, Elizabeth Pearson discusses her research among two of Britain’s key extremist movements: the banned Islamist group al-Muhajiroun, and those networked to it; and the anti-Islam radical right, including the English Defence League and Britain First, to reveal radicalisation as a masculinity project. She situates extreme identities in wider social norms, showing how masculinities are mobilised into action. This research formed the basis of her latest book, Extreme Britain. 

Elizabeth Pearson PhD, formerly a BBC radio journalist, is a lecturer in Criminology with the Conflict, Violence and Terrorism Research Centre at Royal Holloway, University of London, and an associate fellow with the Royal United Services Institute and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. She co-authored Countering Violent Extremism: Making Gender Matter.