Claiming the internet as their own (third) spaces: An ethnographic exploration of subaltern young men’s digital mobilisations of masculinity

This PhD thesis explores how young, marginalised men in Australia use social media in their daily lives. This study brings a postcolonial lens to the critical study of men and masculinities. Through a detailed year-long digital ethnography involving fifteen diverse participants, the research investigates their experiences of social media, masculinity, and agency. Rather than reinforcing negative stereotypes of masculinity, the findings highlight that social media can be both a space of vulnerability and introspection, revealing the productive potential of digital spaces in fostering a sense of belonging and identity.