Description
Recent violent attacks committed by self-proclaimed ‘incels’ have cast the spotlight on the subculture of so-called involuntary celibates. The near exclusively online community is comprised predominately of men bound by their perceived inability to have or maintain romantic relationships. The group is highly blame-attributing, casting the onus of their lack of success on women. As a result, the incel ideology boasts staunchly misogynistic views, often advocating for violence against women. As seen by past incel-inspired attacks, this blame often spills onto anyone with perceived romantic success. Along with intense hatred of women, the incel ideology employs ideations of racism, homophobia, and white nationalism. Despite an increase of academic attention, few have examined the link between incel ideology and terrorism. This paper seeks to apply theories from the field of terrorism studies to explore similarities between the incel movement and other terrorist movements. The construction of incel worldview and radicalisation is examined with existing theories of radicalisation, particularly those of strain and grievance and social movement theory. The findings of this paper aim to not only provide an alternative perspective to understanding this phenomenon, but to also inform prevention measures, a welcomed effort as incel violence continues to spread globally.
