This book, authored by political sociologist Joshua Roose highlights the underexplored interplay between religion, masculinity, and populism, showing how hyper‑masculinity rooted in social injury has become central to both the appeal and the performance of contemporary populist demagogues. Drawing on several case studies—including the recruitment of foreign fighters from Western Muslim communities to the Islamic State between 2014 and 2017—Roose argues that populist hyper‑masculinity functions as a response to deep-seated emotional and social harms, and that its fusion with religious narratives can precipitate forms of violent extremism with global implications. At the same time, he suggests that both the religious and masculine dimensions of this populist epoch hold potential pathways for conceptual and policy solutions.
2021