Phd in COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL RESEARCH AND MARKETING

Thesis title: La questione maschile come discontinuità nella costruzione sociale delle discriminazioni di genere

This work investigates how the so-called “men’s issues” are constructed within the systems that produce and disseminate knowledge on gender discrimination. Using the Foucauldian archaeological lens, it compares discourses emerging in scientific arenas and in social media niches to assess whether there are meaningful overlaps between academic or institutional statements and the claims advanced by men’s rights activists. Particular attention is paid to the recent rise of more moderate, data-driven masculinist communities, since they represent a notable discontinuity with earlier configurations, which motivates a critical reassessment of the “manosphere” concept. After identifying the salient discursive features across arenas, the study develops a moral taxonomy that clarifies the degree of radicalization involved in the social construction of problems by the actors who define or legitimize men’s issues, drawing on Ian Hacking’s proposal.