The role of evidence-based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the ‘manosphere’
In recent years, there have been a growing number of online and offline attacks linked to a loosely connected network of misogynist and antifeminist online communities called ‘the manosphere’. Since 2016, the ideas spread among and by groups of the manosphere have also become more closely aligned wi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Big Data & Society |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517221145671 |
| _version_ | 1828034230286811136 |
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| author | Ann-Kathrin Rothermel |
| author_facet | Ann-Kathrin Rothermel |
| author_sort | Ann-Kathrin Rothermel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, there have been a growing number of online and offline attacks linked to a loosely connected network of misogynist and antifeminist online communities called ‘the manosphere’. Since 2016, the ideas spread among and by groups of the manosphere have also become more closely aligned with those of other Far-Right online networks. In this commentary, I explore the role of what I term ‘evidence-based misogyny’ for mobilization and radicalization into the antifeminist and misogynist subcultures of the manosphere. Evidence-based misogyny is a discursive strategy, whereby members of the manosphere refer to (and misinterpret) knowledge in the form of statistics, studies, news items and pop-culture and mimic accepted methods of knowledge presentation to support their essentializing, polarizing views about gender relations in society. Evidence-based misogyny is a core aspect for manosphere-related mobilization as it provides a false sense of authority and forges a collective identity, which is framed as a supposed ‘alternative’ to mainstream gender knowledge. Due to its core function to justify and confirm the misogynist sentiments of users, evidence-based misogyny serves as connector between the manosphere and both mainstream conservative as well as other Far-Right and conspiratorial discourses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:30:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-caa44ced7cc14b1bb018d1e4a80c5f0e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-9517 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:30:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Big Data & Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-caa44ced7cc14b1bb018d1e4a80c5f0e2023-02-14T04:03:20ZengSAGE PublishingBig Data & Society2053-95172023-01-011010.1177/20539517221145671The role of evidence-based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the ‘manosphere’Ann-Kathrin RothermelIn recent years, there have been a growing number of online and offline attacks linked to a loosely connected network of misogynist and antifeminist online communities called ‘the manosphere’. Since 2016, the ideas spread among and by groups of the manosphere have also become more closely aligned with those of other Far-Right online networks. In this commentary, I explore the role of what I term ‘evidence-based misogyny’ for mobilization and radicalization into the antifeminist and misogynist subcultures of the manosphere. Evidence-based misogyny is a discursive strategy, whereby members of the manosphere refer to (and misinterpret) knowledge in the form of statistics, studies, news items and pop-culture and mimic accepted methods of knowledge presentation to support their essentializing, polarizing views about gender relations in society. Evidence-based misogyny is a core aspect for manosphere-related mobilization as it provides a false sense of authority and forges a collective identity, which is framed as a supposed ‘alternative’ to mainstream gender knowledge. Due to its core function to justify and confirm the misogynist sentiments of users, evidence-based misogyny serves as connector between the manosphere and both mainstream conservative as well as other Far-Right and conspiratorial discourses.https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517221145671 |
| spellingShingle | Ann-Kathrin Rothermel The role of evidence-based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the ‘manosphere’ Big Data & Society |
| title | The role of evidence-based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the ‘manosphere’ |
| title_full | The role of evidence-based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the ‘manosphere’ |
| title_fullStr | The role of evidence-based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the ‘manosphere’ |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of evidence-based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the ‘manosphere’ |
| title_short | The role of evidence-based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the ‘manosphere’ |
| title_sort | role of evidence based misogyny in antifeminist online communities of the manosphere |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517221145671 |
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