International research has explored how progression in gender equality may fuel a backlash in part of society. In ‘manosphere’ communities online such a backlash can be identified. The ‘manosphere’ consist of for a, blogs and websites, where men share radical perspectives on e.g. masculinity, sexuality, sex, ethnicity, and women. Denmark is often referred to as a pioneer country when it comes to gender equality, yet national prevalence studies have drawn attention to sexualized violence as a problem primarily affecting women. This makes Denmark an interesting socio-cultural context to explore the ‘manosphere’ in.
Purpose
SCANVIO aims to explore and theorize the relationship between online male communities and sexualized violence among Danish men in the Scandinavian ‘manosphere’. The aim is to gain knowledge about what drives Danish men to engage in online ‘manosphere’ communities and how this engagement is linked to their offline life. This is done by exploring what role these communities play in men’s everyday life, how they find their way to the communities and what influence the communities have on their relationship to sexualized violence.
Method
Methodologically, the project will be based on netnographic fieldwork and interviews with men active in the Scandinavian ‘manosphere’. With these methods the aim is to explore what takes place in the context of the Scandinavian ‘manosphere’ and the ideals, values, and norms that are practiced and resisted among men here. Theoretically, the project seeks to bring together critical masculinities studies and a critical realist perspective on humans as social beings that care about their needs and dignity.
Project period
2024-2026