What does hypermasculinity really mean — and is it still useful when we talk about men, gender, and the far right?

In this episode of YOU-DARE to Ask, we unpack one of the most frequently used — and misunderstood — terms in contemporary gender debates. Our guests, Professor Begonya Enguix Grau (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) and Dr. Sam de Boise (Örebro University), explore where the concept of hypermasculinity came from, how it’s evolved, and what risks come with using it as a catch-all label.

Together, they discuss how far-right movements mobilise ideas of manhood and power, why young men in particular are drawn to these narratives, and what alternative frameworks might help us understand masculinity in more nuanced, inclusive ways.

About The Speakers

Begonya Enguix Grau

Professor of Social Anthropology at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and an ICREA Acadèmia Distinguished Researcher.

Her research focuses on gender, masculinities, emotions, and political identities, and she leads the Medusa: Genders in Transition, Masculinities, Affects and Bodies research group.
Begonya also coordinates the international Men in Movement (MIM) conferences and has published widely in Feminist Theory, Men and Masculinities, and the Journal of Gender Studies.

Sam de Boise
Senior Lecturer in Musicology at Örebro University, Sweden, and co-editor-in-chief of NORMA: The International Journal for Masculinity Studies.
His work examines the emotional and cultural dimensions of masculinity — particularly through music — and how far-right groups use sound and digital culture to express ideology.
He is the author of Men, Masculinity, Music and Emotions (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015).

Further Reading

Begonya's recent publications include the monographic issue “Ni olvido ni perdón: movilizaciones afectivas y regulación política de las emociones” (“Neither forgetting nor forgiveness: Affective mobilizations and political regulation of emotions”, Quaderns de l’ICA, 2024 (2023), ed. with Alexandre Pichel); the journal articles “Masculinitats, gènere i igualtat: què fem amb els homes?” (“Masculinities, Gender and Equality: What can we do about Men?”, Revista Catalana de Ciències Socials – Catalan Social Sciences Review (RCCS-CSSR), Institut d’Estudis Catalans, 2025) and “Masculine nations, queer bodies and the in/visibilities of gender” (Journal of Gender Studies, 2023, 32(8), pp. 844-869); and the bookchapters “Men in Nations: Overlapping Bodies and Masculinities” (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2024 in press) and “Men know, Women listen: Mansplaining, Manspreading and other Malestream Stories” (London: Routledge, 2023, pp. 129-148). Sam's recent publications include:

• de Boise, S. (2025a). ‘The Appeal of Musical Masculinism within Contemporary Online Far-Right Spaces’. Journal of Gender Studies, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2025.2527697
• de Boise, S. (2024a) ‘Musical Metapolitics and the Alt-Right’ European Journal of Cultural Studies [Advance Online Publication] https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494241285650
• de Boise, S. (2022a) ‘Digitalization and the Musical Mediation of Anti-Democratic Ideologies in Alt-Right Forums’. Popular Music and Society 45(1): 48-66

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In this episode, we unpack a deceptively simple question: what is the far right? While the term is used frequently in media, research, and everyday conversation, it often lacks a clear, shared definition. Is it about ideology? Political parties? Online subcultures? Conspiracy theories? Or all of the above? 

Together, we’ll explore the historical roots, core beliefs, and evolving forms of far-right movements across Europe. We’ll also dive into why the term remains so difficult to pin down, and why that ambiguity matters when we’re trying to understand radicalisation, youth radicalisation, and resistance. 

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YOU‑DARE to Ask is the new podcast exploring how far‑right movements use gendered narratives to shape identity and recruit youth. Each episode features expert insights, real stories, and practical tools to help you understand and challenge extremist ideas.

Follow the conversation: Instagram @youdare.eu | Bluesky @you-dare.bsky.social | Web you-dare.eu

YOU‑DARE to Ask is the new podcast exploring how far‑right movements use gendered narratives to shape identity and attract youth. Each episode features expert insights, and practical tools to help you understand and challenge extremist ideas.

Follow the conversation: Instagram @youdare.eu | Bluesky @you-dare.bsky.social | LinkedIn @you-dare-eu | Web you-dare.eu

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