Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Communication Studies
Committee Chair
Daniel Totzkay
Committee Co-Chair
Elizabeth Cohen
Committee Member
Elizabeth Cohen
Committee Member
Christine Kunkle
Abstract
Podcasts have become increasingly popular across various platforms (e.g., Spotify or Apple podcasts). A more recent trend is the emergence of “alpha male” podcasts. The goal of these podcasts is to instruct young men how to stop being “betas” and on achieving “alpha male” status. These podcasts are a subset of the manosphere, a term used to describe media focused especially on hegemonic masculinity, which is characterized by their promotion of misogynistic beliefs and sexist rhetoric. Drawing upon social science research, three forms of sexism (i.e., ambivalent sexism, precarious manhood and violence against women) serve as analytical frameworks for understanding alpha male podcasts. Thus, this thesis presents the first steps of a quantitative content analysis to explore the relationship between alpha male podcasts and the dimensions of sexism.
Recommended Citation
Fields, Madalen Lea, "Taking the Red Pill: A Content Analysis of Ambivalent Sexism and Precarious Manhood in Alpha Male Podcasts" (2024). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 12548.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/12548