Reflections on conducting interviews with ex-incels / David S. Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, David S., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Incels--Interviews--Case studies.

Incels.

Interviewing--Technique--Case studies.

Interviewing.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

London : SAGE Publications Ltd, 2026.

Summary:

Incels are an online community of men who believe that a combination of feminist social engineering and their natural inferiority has blocked them from the dating market. Previous literature has linked inceldom with misogyny, mental health challenges, suicidal ideation and, in rare cases, acts of extreme violence. In this case study, I reflect on my experiences interviewing seventeen men who have entered and withdrawn from the community. Nine were included in the Smith et al. (2025) paper and eleven in the Adams and Smith (2025) paper, and others were gathered for an ongoing project. This case study will be helpful for undergraduates or early-career researchers looking to explore online communities, particularly those revolving around misogyny. It contrasts the strengths of interviews and discourse analysis and addresses the difficulty of building rapport with participants who may hold antisocial views or be suspicious of interviewers’ intent. I focus on appropriate accommodations when gathering data from vulnerable groups, the importance of empathy and unconditional positive regard, and the need to triangulate sources. Through this research, I hope to contribute to developing preventative and rehabilitative strategies and a better understanding of online “culture war” discourses.

Notes:

Description based on XML content.

ISBN:

9781036243456

OCLC:

1594889408

Publisher Number:

T300852