PhD Scholarship - Misogyny, the Manosphere and Digital Cultures of Harm
Job No.: 695672
Location: Clayton campus
Employment Type: Full-time
Duration: 3.5-year fixed-term appointment
Remuneration: The successful applicant will receive a Research Living Allowance, at current value of $37,145AUD per annum 2026 full-time rate (tax-free stipend, indexed) plus an additional CEVAW Top-up scholarship of $10,000AUD per annum (non-indexed), as well as allowances as per RTP stipend scholarship conditions at: www.monash.edu/graduate-research/future-students/scholarships/scholarship-policy-and-procedures.
The Opportunity
This PhD project will explore the emergence and influence of misogyny within online manosphere communities, examining how these digital subcultures shape attitudes, identities and behaviours in contemporary society. It will investigate how misogynistic narratives are constructed, shared and legitimised within these spaces, and how they resonate with wider social and political dynamics. The project also invites engagement with the manosphere as a social and economic ecosystem, including its links to broader men’s rights movements and the political economy underpinning these spaces. For example, how influencers, platforms and content creators monetise grievance, identity insecurity and narratives of masculinity, especially in relation to younger male audiences.
The successful applicant may explore such questions as: What drives engagement with manosphere communities? How do algorithmic systems and platform structures amplify or sustain these discourses? What role do influencers, content creators and platform economies play in shaping and sustaining manosphere narratives? How are feelings of economic insecurity, social marginalisation or changing gender roles mobilised within manosphere discourse? In what ways do manosphere communities intersect with or draw from broader men’s rights movements and anti-feminist ideologies? How do these online environments foster pathways toward more extreme attitudes or actions?
The project is particularly suited to qualitative methodologies that enable in-depth exploration of discourse, identity and meaning-making within online environments. Approaches such as semi-structured interviews, digital ethnography or social media data collection (including platform-based content analysis or scraping of publicly available data), are strongly encouraged. Analytical frameworks may draw on discourse analysis, thematic analysis and critical approaches to power and ideology.
A central aim of the research is to deepen understanding of the social and technological drivers underpinning misogyny in the digital age, while also identifying opportunities for intervention. The project will consider strategies for countering harmful narratives, promoting healthier models of masculinity and informing policy and platform governance approaches.
This PhD scholarship will be based within the Faculty of Arts at Monash University, the largest university in Australia which regularly ranks in the top 100 universities worldwide, and housed at the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW) the world’s first Centre to tackle the full range of forms of violence against women in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.
CEVAW focuses on the structural drivers that cause and compound violence against women, pioneering new, evidence-based approaches to inform trajectory-altering practice and policy. CEVAW's interdisciplinary research is data-driven, Indigenous and survivor centred and co-designed with partners. Headquartered at Monash University, CEVAW brings together world-leading experts across the legal, security, economic, health and political systems of Australia and the Indo-Pacific region., including 14 chief investigators at seven Australian institutions, 15 partner investigators worldwide, 33 partner organisations and over 100 HDR students and postdoctoral fellows. With almost $50M investment from the ARC and contributing organisations, CEVAW is poised to make a significant, global impact.
This project will be based in CEVAW’s ‘Harnessing technology for the prevention of violence against women’ workstream.
Candidate Requirements
Candidates with backgrounds in criminology, sociology, gender studies, political science, international relations or related fields are encouraged to apply. A strong interest in interdisciplinary research and a commitment to addressing complex social harms and insecurity are essential. Experience in qualitative, quantitative and/or digital ethnography methodologies will be considered favourably.
In its assessment, the selection committee will prioritise applicants who hold an Australian (or equivalent international) Honours or Master’s degree (in a relevant field), with a significant research component and with first-class honours/H1 awarded.
Details of eligibility requirements, including English-language proficiency skills, to undertake a PhD in the Faculty of Arts are available at arts.monash.edu/graduate-research/application-process. Applicants should ensure they familiarise themselves with these requirements before deciding whether they should apply.
Scholarship holders must be enrolled full-time and on campus. Please note: applicants who already hold a PhD will not be considered.
The successful applicant will be expected to enrol by 1 March 2027.
Enquiries
To apply for this position, before you submit an application, you must first contact the lead supervisor, Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor Asher Flynn on asher.flynn@monash.edu to discuss your interest. Applications submitted without first contacting the lead supervisor may not be considered.
How to Apply
Applications shall comprise:
- A cover letter that includes a brief statement of the applicant’s suitability
- A brief Research Proposal that fits within the project aims and objectives, and demonstrates some understanding of the area of research
- A curriculum vitae, including a list of any published works, conference presentations and relevant work experience
- A full statement of academic records, degree certificates and official grading system (if available), supported by scanned copies of relevant certified documentation
- English language proficiency test results (if applicable)
- Names and contact details of two academic referees
Once you have discussed your proposal with the lead supervisor, please submit your application via My.App:
- Select Admission Only as the Application Type
- Select ‘Yes’ to indicate that you are applying for a scholarship for this research and enter 'PhD Scholarship at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women: Misogyny, the Manosphere and Digital Cultures of Harm' as the scholarship you are applying for under Research Program.
Applications Close: Monday 10 August 2026, 11:55pm AEST
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