Browsing by Subject "Affect"

In the past years social equality has been a hot topic in the western world. Traditional social hierarchies have been challenged by feminist policies, women’s increased societal engagement and the recognition of the rights of historically oppressed groups. However, the advancements in equality have not been embraced unanimously, as anti-feminist and racist discourses have reared its head, especially online. Central in modern anti-feminist discourse is the idea of reversed gender hierarchy: that historical female oppression never existed, and thus feminist policies supporting women and minorities are actually discriminating men. The aim of these discourses is to sustain traditional social hierarchies favouring white western men. Today’s anti-feminist mobilization consists by large of angry white men, trying to renew the respect and honour of traditional masculinity. By leaning on the theoretical frameworks of social constructionism and critical discursive psychology (CDP), this thesis examined how discourses resisting social equality manifest online. Especially of interest was how affects, as discursive action, were used to constitute understandings of equality. In this, this thesis leaned on Wetherell’s theory of affective-discursive practice (2012) and treated affects as part of the discursive realm. The data used consisted of blog posts written by a globally known public figure, Jordan Peterson, who in newspapers has been cited as the most influential public intellectual of the western world. The aim of this study was to explore what kinds of interpretative repertoires were drawn upon in Peterson’s writings when discussing social equality, and how affect and discourse worked together in positioning within these meanings. As CDP carries the idea of broader societal implications, this study also discusses how the meanings and positions constructed in Peterson’s writings relate to larger societal discussions. The analysis shows that in Peterson’s writings social equality is understood through four interpretative repertoires: threat, truth, justice and virtues. Firstly, equality is constructed as a threat to the society and the whole existence of men. This understanding positions women as emotional fools, and feminists as criminals, who by feminist policies threaten traditional western values. Secondly, equality and feminist policies are understood by the means of truth and veracity. This understanding distinguishes true and false science, and positions men as advocates of the true science, whereas women/feminist as impostors. Third understanding has the central idea that aiming for social equality by feminist policies is unjust, as they discriminate men. This understanding allows feminists to be seen as villains while men are positioned as innocent and downtrodden. Finally, the fourth repertoire emphasizes masculine virtues and works to legitimize current social hierarchies by positioning and constructing men through a hegemonic masculine ideal. Alongside these understandings, several affects are being triggered and manipulated. The most repetitive is anger, which is constantly directed towards women and feminists, who are characterized as hateful and full of resentment. In contrast, the writings evoke pride and sympathy among men, who are constituted as the wronged victims of the situation. The results of this study resonate greatly with recent studies around anti-gender movement and discourses of the manosphere. Similarities are apparent particularly in relation to how genders are constructed and understood, and how the societal situation at large is constituted as discriminating men, young and white in particular. In conclusion, Petersons writings seem to be connected to larger anti-gender movement, aiming at sustaining traditional social hierarchies and restoring the honour and respect of white masculinities.