Gendering extremism: radicalisation as masculinity project

Feminist scholars have long critiqued the neglect of gender in International Relations and security studies, including theories of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation. In recent years, however, events have forced both scholars and policy-makers to reassess. The travel of young women from across continents to join so-called Islamic State, alongside the emergence of the misogynist Incel or ‘involuntary celibate’ movement, and the mobilisation of anti-feminist rhetoric by the far right and Islamist groups alike have drawn attention to the significance of gender in understanding terrorism and extremism. This paper responds to calls for the gendering of theory on radicalisation and extremism, proposing that radicalisation constitutes a masculinity project. Based on field research with both anti-Islam radical right activists, and actors associated with Anjem Choudary’s banned Islamist group al-Muhajiroun this paper: outlines the importance of gender and masculinities to the in- and out-group differentiation which precedes extreme activism; explores the diverse masculinities constituting the reference points for extreme cultures; and documents how groups mobilise these into the cultural norms enabling group activism. As such, the paper provides analysis of the diverse hegemonic masculinities adopted by both extreme women and men.