Swedish discussions of inceldom and incel worldviews on Flashback : A netnographic reflexive thematic analysis

Sammanfattning

This study examines how Swedish Flashback users discuss inceldom and incel worldviews. Approximately 360 comments are analyzed through netnographic reflexive thematic analysis, presenting recurring framings of incels, gender relations, and social change. The results reveal themes of male victimhood, gendered moral hierarchies, masculinity crisis, societal explanations, perceived incel shortcomings, biological arguments, and discriminatory narratives. Incel-adjacent ideas appear to extend beyond closed incel spaces and intersect with broader antifeminist and exclusionary discourses, while also provoking criticism and resistance. Results also bring attention to the rise of loneliness and social isolation, especially amongst young men, as well as the lack of preventative and supportive measures.