Young Masculinities and Political Subjectivity in and Beyond the Manosphere

Abstract

This introduction to the special issue examines the shift in young men’s political subjectivities towards antifeminist and far-right ideologies, particularly through engagement with the manosphere. While young men in Western societies previously demonstrated more progressive attitudes towards gender equality compared to older generations, recent reports indicate a widening gender gap, with young men increasingly adopting conservative positions. The manosphere, emerging from the late 1990s online forums and now mainstream through influencers like Andrew Tate, promotes male supremacy through evolutionary psychology claims and market-based views of sexual relations. This neoconservative turn reflects broader socio-economic challenges including neoliberalism, job insecurity and the erosion of traditional male breadwinner models. However, the volume also highlights contradictory tendencies, with some young men embracing progressive masculinities and gender equality. The collection demonstrates how young men’s political subjectivities are shaped by specific social contexts rather than fixed ideological positions.