Audiovisual representations as a tool to investigate the manosphere. Joker, a superhero for Italian Incels?

Abstract

The focus of the article is about audiovisual representations as a tool to investigate the manosphere, since they reflect the social construction of masculinity, with significant repercussions to the audience. Specifically, we intend to investigate the process of identification with the character of the film “Joker” (2019), by Todd Philips, by some users of Italian forums close to the American Incel ideology, highlighting the impact of the film on the audience experience, and therefore on the perception of one's masculinity, through explorations of two specific forums examined within this discussion: “Il Forum degli Incel” and “Il Forum dei Brutti”.

Keywords: gender, representation, audience, Incel, masculinity.