SOC 427: Sociology of the Manosphere

Sociology · 5 credits

This class will investigate contemporary issues in masculinity, with a focus on the network of websites and groups often referred to as “the manosphere.” We will primarily study these groups in English-speaking countries, although we will explore global dimensions of this reactionary movement. The manosphere is a loosely connected network of online communities espousing various degrees of anti-feminist politics. It has been described as “toxic technoculture” and “networked misogyny.” On the moderate side of the manosphere are lifestyle, sports, and wellness podcasts and YouTube channels that are not centrally about gender or masculinity. The more virulent sites, such as those maintained by “incels” on the dark web, are stridently and violently misogynistic. In between are various groups including pickup artists, men’s rights activists, red-pillers, and other overlapping online communities The course will cover a range of topics including the various branches of the movement, their links with violent extremism and the extreme right, pathways to radicalization, the loneliness epidemic among men, implications for electoral politics, and the organizing role of social media, gaming, and other sites of online organization. Readings will come not only from sociology, but also from media studies, psychology, and political science. As an upper division elective, the course will focus on discussing and writing about sociological research on the manosphere.

Offered in 1 of the 26 listed terms (Fall 2026).

Catalog entry Browse Classes Textbooks (WWU Bookstore)

Prerequisites

SOC 302 and SOC 304 and SOC 306

Prerequisite tree

Each course's own prerequisites, down to the first courses in the chain.

SOC 302 Classical Sociological Theory
requires SOC 221 or SOC 234 or SOC 251 or SOC 255 or SOC 260 or SOC 268 or SOC 269 or SOC 271 or SOC 1PR or HNRS 252
- SOC 221 Introduction to Population Issues
- SOC 234 Special Topics in Sociology
- SOC 251 Sociology of Deviant Behavior
- SOC 255 Social Organization of Criminal Justice
- SOC 260 The Family in Society
- SOC 268 Gender and Society
- SOC 269 Race and Ethnic Relations
- SOC 271 Immigration
- HNRS 252 Colloquium in Sociology
SOC 304 Statistics for Sociology
requires (MATH 107 or MATH 108 or MATH 112 or MATH 114 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 134 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or MATH 156 or MATH 157 or MATH 240 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35) and (SOC 221 or SOC 234 or SOC 251 or SOC 255 or SOC 260 or SOC 268 or SOC 269 or SOC 1PR or HNRS 252)
- MATH 107 Mathematical Reasoning and Its Applications
  requires MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or MATH 112 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 145 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 25 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2
  - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra
    requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 1
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
    requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S)
    - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra (shown above)
    - MATH 197C Support Topics for Functions and Algebraic Methods
      requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
    - MATH 109 Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods
      requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
- MATH 108 Math Applications & Reasoning
  requires MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or MATH 112 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 145 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 25 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2
  - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra (shown above)
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
- MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
  requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S)
  - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra (shown above)
  - MATH 197C Support Topics for Functions and Algebraic Methods
    requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
  - MATH 109 Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods
    requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
- MATH 114 Precalculus I
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
- MATH 115 Precalculus II
  requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
- MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
- MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
  requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
- MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
  requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
- MATH 135 Calculus II Honors
- MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus
  requires Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4 or (Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 and Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
- MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or MATH 112
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
- MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics
  requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 148 or MATH 156 or MATH 114 or MATH 118 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 2.3 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 2.3 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2
  - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
- MATH 240 Introduction to Statistics
  requires MATH 112 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 147 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
- SOC 221 Introduction to Population Issues (shown above)
- SOC 234 Special Topics in Sociology (shown above)
- SOC 251 Sociology of Deviant Behavior (shown above)
- SOC 255 Social Organization of Criminal Justice (shown above)
- SOC 260 The Family in Society (shown above)
- SOC 268 Gender and Society (shown above)
- SOC 269 Race and Ethnic Relations (shown above)
- HNRS 252 Colloquium in Sociology (shown above)
SOC 306 Sociological Research Methods
requires SOC 221 or SOC 234 or SOC 251 or SOC 255 or SOC 260 or SOC 268 or SOC 269 or SOC 271 or SOC 1PR or HNRS 252
- SOC 221 Introduction to Population Issues (shown above)
- SOC 234 Special Topics in Sociology (shown above)
- SOC 251 Sociology of Deviant Behavior (shown above)
- SOC 255 Social Organization of Criminal Justice (shown above)
- SOC 260 The Family in Society (shown above)
- SOC 268 Gender and Society (shown above)
- SOC 269 Race and Ethnic Relations (shown above)
- SOC 271 Immigration (shown above)
- HNRS 252 Colloquium in Sociology (shown above)

From Banner's catalog for Spring 2027. Banner lists only the requisites it enforces, so check the catalog entry too.

Required by (0)

No course lists it as a prerequisite.

Syllabi and course websites

None listed yet.

Suggest a syllabus link

Instructors

Instructor	Sections	Terms
Cunningham, Mick	1	Fall 2026

Every offering in the listed terms (1 section)

Term	Sec	CRN	Type	Meets	Instructor	Enrolled	Delivery
Fall 2026	01	43797	Seminar	MW 11:00am-12:50pm · AH 518	Cunningham, Mick	11/13	Face to Face Instruction