As the date of my research trip to Mysore, India inches closer, my excitement grows, but so does my trepidation. One of the most alarming aspects for me about visiting India is the disconnect between sexuality regarding men and women. Women are often expected to be submissive and modest as a result of traditional gender roles that are still ingrained in Indian culture to this day. In special cases, misogynistic beliefs like these can then turn into real acts of violence.

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It is understood that traditional cultural norms in India play a role in the way that older men perceive women, but what about the younger, more liberal generation of Indian men? External factors such as media consumption and loneliness play a major role in shaping what views these young men will hold towards women. I am interested in researching which factors radicalize young Indian men towards holding extremist misogynistic views. I also want to touch on how these extremist views can then manifest as acts of violence, towards both women and men. 

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In the United States, the “incel” online subculture has grown in popularity over the last ten years, with searches of the word reaching an all-time high in 2019. The term “incel” stands for the phrase “involuntarily celibate”. Men who are part of these online communities and forums define themselves as being incapable of attracting women and express feelings of rejection, loneliness, and even suicidality (Ging, 2019; Glace et al., 2021; Menzie, 2020). Although the incel community began as a space for individuals to vent their frustrations regarding relationships and loneliness, it quickly evolved into a more extremist community. 

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The incel community began to be associated with violence, with different online forums advocating for rape and murder as a form of “vengeance” (Bartly). A number of perpetrators of mass violence were then found to be connected to the incel community; the most notable case was in 2014, when a 22-year old man killed six people and injured many others in Isla Vista, California. The shooter uploaded a manifesto where he described the motive behind his actions as an act of retribution towards women who had rejected him and the “conventionally attractive” men who were able to find sexual partners (Felix, 2019). Other similar attacks followed in the subsequent years, with many perpetrators referencing the Isla Vista murderer and their admiration for him. These attacks are not commonplace, and the majority of incels have not committed any acts of violence (Sparks, 2022), but it is clear that this dangerous ideology targets vulnerable, young men and can push them towards violence.

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When seeing the motives behind incels and men’s rights activists, the heart of the movements seem to be rooted in misplaced feelings of rejection and loneliness. I would expect the correlation between rejection, loneliness and a belief in misogynistic views in India to be similar to that of the United States. A factor that could lead to differences between Indian and American men is the concept of arranged marriages. Arranged marriages are commonplace in India, making it less likely for young men to feel the same rejection as in the United States; in recent years, arranged marriages have slowly become less common in India, and some men have voiced their concerns about “ending up alone” (Suri, 2020). An additional factor is the fact that more people in the United States have internet access than those in India. This lack of internet access in areas of India could impact the research question since they would be unlikely to be part of any online movements such as the incel movement.

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To find out more about my research interests, I intend to meet and interview the population I am interested in, which is Indian men between 18 to 30 years old. I would like to hold interviews where I can discuss what views they hold regarding women's sexuality, and what their personal experiences with women have been in the past. Do those who experience more feelings of rejection hold more extreme misogynistic views? Does loneliness play a factor as well? What other factors (role models, media, family, etc.) affect Indian men’s views towards women? I think this topic is interesting because it would give further insight into why certain men hold extremist views, and how we as a whole can try to prevent further radicalization. 

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As someone interested in pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology, I am deeply interested in the motivation behind dangerous behaviors such as violence against women. How is it that the individuals who perpetrate these crimes reach this boiling point? I would like to practice my clinical skills by interviewing Indian men and gaining a better understanding of what shapes their world view. One of my main concerns about exploring this research in India is ethics, since I do not want to unintentionally offend any of the participants or insinuate that they are misogynistic. Many of the men I will interview will likely not express extreme misogynistic views like those of violent perpetrators, and I do not want to include any misleading questions in my interviews. I want to engage in civil conversations that ask difficult questions while still respecting Indian culture. I am ultimately excited to execute my own research project and be able to delve into a topic that I find fascinating. 

 

References

 

Bartly, C. (n.d.). Misogynist incels and male supremacism. New America. Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/reports/misogynist-incels-and-male-supremacism/mass-violence-and-terrorism-since-santa-barbara/

 

Felix, E. (2019). 2014 mass murder in Isla Vista, CA. Disaster Mental Health Case Studies, 114–121. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351252263-14

 

Sparks, B., Zidenberg, A. M., & Olver, M. E. (2022). Involuntary celibacy: A review of incel ideology and experiences with dating, rejection, and associated mental health and emotional sequelae. Current Psychiatry Reports, 24(12), 731–740. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-022-01382-9

 

Suri, M. (2020, November 19). India's attitude to arranged marriage is changing. but some say not fast enough. CNN. Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/18/asia/indian-arranged-marriage-dst-intl-hnk/index.html