Research Seminar Series: Fear, Loathing, and Redemption on 4chan’s Advice Board
The penultimate research seminar of the term is presented by Dr Marcus Maloney, Lecturer in Sociology and Research Associate, Centre for Postdigital Cultures
Marcus writes: “In this paper, I will report on a computational-qualitative study of 4chan’s /adv/ board, a space in which the platform’s predominately white-hetero-male user base seek advice on life matters from others in their community. To give some context, 4chan has long been of interest to researchers as both ‘a source of subcultural innovation on broader mainstream Web culture’ and breeding ground for a grievance-driven ‘right wing digital populism’. Widely seen to underpin the latter is ‘a link between fragile [white hetero] masculinity and aggressive political stances’ – though this link remains largely speculative/theoretical. As a 4chan board that exhibits both the problematic hallmarks of broader 4chan culture, and a surprising openness to expressions of masculine vulnerability, /adv/ is a useful space for exploring the proposed link between reactionary masculine cultures and the fragilities seen to drive them.”