In the online world where radical ideologies flourish in the shadows, Dr. Luc Cousineau is shining a bright, necessary light.
As co-director of research at the (CIFRS) and a Recreation Management instructor in the School of Health and Human Performance, he studies how online communities 鈥� particularly those focused on anti-equity and masculinist ideologies 鈥� form, evolve and exert influence.
Unpacking online extremism
Dr. Cousineau鈥檚 path to this research is personal as well as academic.
鈥淚 grew up in a household where a lot didn鈥檛 follow 鈥榯raditional鈥� gender roles,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat shaped how I saw the world and later how I understood power and identity.鈥�
After earning degrees in Women鈥檚 Studies and Outdoor Recreation and working in gendered environments like adventure education, he found himself drawn to questions about how masculinity operates, particularly in online spaces like Reddit.
Young men are being exposed to anti-equity and anti-feminist content not by choice, but by algorithm.
His doctoral work examined the 鈥榤anosphere,鈥� a loosely connected network of men鈥檚 rights activists and other disgruntled men. He has also researched affiliated groups, including incels, short for involuntary celibates 鈥� an online subculture of men who express rage at women for 鈥榙enying them sex鈥� and fantasize about and celebrate those who commit mass violence.
What he found was not only do these communities promote misogyny and male supremacy, but they offer a sense of belonging and purpose to disaffected men, especially younger ones.
鈥淭hey feel heard,鈥� Dr. Cousineau explains. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 powerful.鈥�
At the forefront of urgent research
Dr. Cousineau鈥檚 work underscores the Faculty of Health鈥檚 commitment to tackling complex, contemporary health and social challenges. With CIRFS, he鈥檚 part of a small but mighty national research network focused on the important work of analyzing and disrupting the spread of far-right extremism in Canada.
鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing these ideologies filter into schools, homes and workplaces," says Dr. Cousineau, shown right. Young men are being exposed to anti-equity and anti-feminist content not by choice, but by algorithm.鈥�
He explains that social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube are structured to feed users provocative material that maximizes engagement regardless of intent or age. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about politics for them, it鈥檚 about profit.鈥�
Why this matters now
The consequences of unchecked radicalization are far-reaching. Dr. Cousineau notes that while most young men won鈥檛 commit acts of violence, the ideological groundwork is being laid in digital communities every day. And it鈥檚 not just found in fringe corners of the internet; these narratives are entering classrooms and influencing behaviour.
In one ongoing study, Dr. Cousineau and colleagues are examining how teachers are coping with the growing presence of misogynist and extremist beliefs in students as young as 11 and 12.
We鈥檙e hearing teachers say that boys are telling them outright that they don鈥檛 have to listen to women
鈥淲e鈥檙e hearing teachers say that boys are telling them outright that they don鈥檛 have to listen to women,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not just disruptive, it鈥檚 dangerous."
Despite the heaviness of the subject matter, Dr. Cousineau remains committed. The nature of the work demands that he spends countless hours in some very dark spaces but he protects his own mental health by limiting social media exposure and building strong peer-support networks.
鈥淓veryone I know who does this work has a therapist,鈥� he laughs. 鈥淵ou have to.鈥�
His motivation however is serious. 鈥淲e need to understand this ecosystem if we want to prevent harm and build a more equitable future. That starts with paying attention 鈥� even when it鈥檚 hard.鈥�