Ink and Intellect Reading Club - Modernity and Islam - Manosphere

About this Club

This is a reading club that is meant to help us engage in the history of ideas that are pervasive in the modern world and are relevant for our understanding of reality and Islam. The facilitator Dr. Sinan will present on the topic after which participants will be drawn into group discussions based on the readings provided (to those who sign up). We will also have a bonus guest speaker for this event (details provided below).

About this Session

 The manosphere is a term that came into sharp focus in the aftermath of controversies surrounding figures like Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson and many others. Yet, its origins are often murky and unknown leading to engaging with these figures on superficial levels. In this session, we explore the rise of the manosphere, what its main archetypes and intellectual forefathers are and what are some of its foundations. Being that figures like Tate and Sneako also converted to Islam, it is a topic that deserves serious intellectual and practical scrutiny. In addition, the rise of the so called Da'wah bro influencers and incessant criticisms of women bring up deeper questions on direction, intention, ettiquete and safeguarding. Against this backdrop, we examine the Manosphere and how it forms a component of modernity today. This reading session is a continuation of various sessions done before where we engaged with topics such as liberalism, nation states and nationalism and secularism (You do not need to have attended the previous one to be here).

In this session we will:
• Explore the origins of the Manosphere and how it fits within modernity 
• Understand the different archetypes operating within the Manosphere
• Look at the relation between capitalism and figures in the Manospherer
• Understand some concepts around Gender contained within Islamic thought.

In addition, we look at some bonus aspects including

• The description of masculinity in different pop cultures
• How modern marriages and dating lead to confusion within the Muslim community around figures in the Manosphere
• The impact of the Manosphere outside of the West. 

As usual, the session will consist of pre-readings, a presentation, and group discussions.

Meet your Facilitator

This session will be led by Dr Mohammed Sinan Siyech, a Lectuer of International Relations at Wolverhampton University. He has previously taught at King’s College London (KCL), the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and the University of Edinburgh. He has written extensively focusing on political, religious, and security issues on various countries and societies. Beyond academia, he has contributed to global think tanks like the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) in London and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore and Equi, a think tank focused on British Muslims.

Light snacks to be provided.

Kindly note: No refunds will be given in case of cancellations. Tickets are transferable though.