A master thesis from Aalborg University
Mellem tilhør og afstand - En flerdimensionel analyse af maskulinitet, fællesskab og positionering i manofæriske fora
[Between Belonging and Distance - A Multidimensional Analysis of Masculinity, Community, and Positioning in Manospheric Forums]
Forfatter(e)
Semester
4. semester
Uddannelse
Udgivelsesår
2025
Afleveret
2025-05-28
Antal sider
80 pages
Abstract
This thesis investigates how manospheric ideologies are constructed and maintained through the intersection of language and user behaviour in online communities. Using a mixed methods approach that combines cluster analysis, prediction models and qualitative content analysis, we develop a behavioural typology that reveals a link between behavioral engagement and ideological expression. Anchored in Raewyn Connell’s theory of hegemonic masculinity and Andy Bennett’s subcultural theory, we examine how masculinity, affect, and ideological positioning are enacted within four forums: Pick Up Artists, Incels, Men Going Their Own Way, and A Voice For Men. Our analysis identifies links between user activity and ideological expression in the first three communities, while AVFM stands out as a more heterogeneous space, oriented toward structural injustices and critique of feminism rather than personal marginalisation. Our findings show that manospheric forums encompass a wide ideological spectrum – from users seeking self-improvement to highly active participants expressing misogyny, racism, and societal distrust. Rather than cohesive communities, these platforms operate as affective subcultures shaped by internal hierarchies and oppositional identity work. The thesis contributes new methodological tools and empirical insights into the ways digital participation shapes ideological alignment and user positioning in manospheric spaces.
Emneord
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