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. This book uses primary 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. Through interviews with leaders including Anjem Choudary, Jayda Fransen and Tommy Robinson, as well as their followers, Extreme Britain explores the emergence of extreme misogyny and masculinities. Pearson situates extreme identities in wider social norms, showing how masculinities are mobilised into action. The book cautions against oversimplifying extreme masculinity as 'toxic'. It demonstrates how both men and women 'do' extreme masculinities and the costs and benefits to them both of activism. Understanding the men and women involved in extreme movements will better equip us to counter them. This fascinating study offers invaluable insight into some of their lives and motivations.

Balakrishnan, also known as Balan, had spent years using his skill as a conversationalist, journalist, and tennis player to claw his way into the world of the wealthy in Delhi, finally culminating in his being invited to grand balls like the one mentioned above. As a social activist in India, he was searching for a way to bring happiness to the Indian people. The above excerpt portrays a crucial point in his life when he recognized that even economic prosperity did not guarantee a happy life. He was led to reflect on the nature of happiness, which brought him to the study of "consciousness", the core subject of this thesis. And as the thesis unfolds, we will see from the quotations and excerpts that "consciousness" eventually became a prime concern of his, which is the reason that it is important to focus on the title of this dissertation. But before we proceed, we may ask, can we define "consciousness"?