Conclusions

Abstract

Abstract The final chapter of Extreme Britain discusses the key findings, and differences between the radical right and Islamist movements explored in the book. Through interviews, the book has argued that radicalization is in essence a masculinity project, which is to say that becoming extreme entails the fulfilment of particular and diverse masculinities, with one masculine performance able to legitimize another. It also explored misogyny in both movements, finding this directed against in-group, as well as out-group women. Nonetheless, the expressions of misogyny differed between groups, as did women’s opportunities for public leadership. The conclusions also explore how a new extremism definition might incorporate gender, recognizing its importance in identifying in- and out-group members. This finding is important for policymakers, and the chapter goes on to emphasize the need for caution in treating misogyny or toxic masculinity as causal factors in radicalization, or predictors of extremism. Finally, the chapter addresses the importance of gendered approaches in producing a rich and nuanced understanding of the power relations in extreme movements, and the lives of the people in them.