Dr David Smith's Outputs (37)

I spoke to men who swallowed the red pill: what incel culture is really like. (2025)
Newspaper / Magazine
SMITH, D.S. 2025. I spoke to men who swallowed the red pill: what incel culture is really like. Metro [online], 19 March 2025. Available from: https://metro.co.uk/2025/03/19/spoke-men-swallowed-red-pill-incel-culture-really-like-22752536/

Short for involuntary celibates, incels are men who believe a combination of their bad genes and modern feminism have left them romantically/sexually destitute. In short, they consider themselves scientifically unloveable. As a psychologist, I find i... Read More about I spoke to men who swallowed the red pill: what incel culture is really like..

Understanding teacher educators' quality of life: insights from the PERMA model. (2025)
Journal Article
FITZSIMONS, S., BOAG, L. and SMITH, D.S. 2025. Understanding teacher educators' quality of life: insights from the PERMA model. Applied research in quality of life [online], Online First. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-025-10435-z

Teacher Educators (TE) are a specific category of Higher Education (HE) academics whose primary responsibility is the preparation of Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) for the Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary, and Further Education and Training contexts.... Read More about Understanding teacher educators' quality of life: insights from the PERMA model..

Ofsted inspections affect not just teachers but also the people who train them. (2025)
Newspaper / Magazine
FITZSIMONS, S. and SMITH, D. 2025. Ofsted inspections affect not just teachers but also the people who train them. The conversation [online], 6 February 2025. Available from: https://theconversation.com/ofsted-inspections-affect-not-just-teachers-but-also-the-people-who-train-them-249084

Ofsted, England's education inspectorate, has proposed changes to the way it assesses schools, colleges and universities that offer teacher training. The suggested changes include the move to a report-card system rather than a headline judgment. In t... Read More about Ofsted inspections affect not just teachers but also the people who train them..

Don't do anything special for us coming: the mental health impact of Ofsted inspections on teacher educators in England. (2025)
Journal Article
FITZSIMONS, S. and SMITH, D.S. 2025. Don't do anything special for us coming: the mental health impact of Ofsted inspections on teacher educators in England. Cambridge journal of education [online], 55(1), pages 93-111. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2025.2451280

Ofsted inspections of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers aim to enhance training quality for pre-service teachers in England. However, research rarely examines the impact of these inspections on the wellbeing of Teacher Educators (TEs) based i... Read More about Don't do anything special for us coming: the mental health impact of Ofsted inspections on teacher educators in England..

I didn't leave inceldom; inceldom left me: examining male ex-incel navigations of complex masculinities identity rebuilding following rejection of incel-culture. (2025)
Journal Article
ADAMS, N.N. and SMITH, D.S. [2025]. I didn't leave inceldom; inceldom left me: examining male ex-incel navigations of complex masculinities identity rebuilding following rejection of incel-culture. Deviant behavior [online], Latest Articles. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2025.2453443

This study explores experiences of ex-incels - men who have withdrawn from incel communities - through eleven qualitative interviews analysed using R.W. Connell's hegemonic masculinity (HM) framework. Findings reveal some ex-incels adopt flexible mas... Read More about I didn't leave inceldom; inceldom left me: examining male ex-incel navigations of complex masculinities identity rebuilding following rejection of incel-culture..

Unveiling "ex-incels": identity dynamics and juxtaposed hegemonic masculinity. (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
SMITH, D.S. and ADAMS, N. 2024. Unveiling "ex-incels": identity dynamics and juxtaposed hegemonic masculinity. Presented at the 3rd Joint international annual conference of the LEX Network, Violence Against Women and Girls Research Network, Feminist Legal Research and Action Network, and the Centre for the Study of Emotion and Law (LEX-VAWGRN-FRAN-CSEL 2024): activism, change and feminist futures: remembering the past to reimagine the future, 7-8 November 2024, Liverpool, UK.

This study examines the experiences of former involuntary celibates (ex-incels) - men who frequented incel communities, but no longer identify with the label. We introduce a framework of Juxtaposed Hegemonic Masculinity to interrogate participants' s... Read More about Unveiling "ex-incels": identity dynamics and juxtaposed hegemonic masculinity..

Just imagine Elon Musk... you really think he does that? Neoliberal subjecthood and the sexual marketplace in pornography abstinence/reboot communities. (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
SMITH, D.S. 2024. Just imagine Elon Musk... you really think he does that? Neoliberal subjecthood and the sexual marketplace in pornography abstinence/reboot communities. Presented at the 3rd Joint international annual conference of the LEX Network, Violence Against Women and Girls Research Network, Feminist Legal Research and Action Network, and the Centre for the Study of Emotion and Law (LEX-VAWGRN-FRAN-CSEL 2024): activism, change and feminist futures: remembering the past to reimagine the future, 7-8 November 2024, Liverpool, UK.

Through a deterministic evolutionary psychology framework, the manosphere conceptualises an inflexible sexual market that positions men as entrepreneurs competing for a limited resource: women's interest. In recent years, researchers have explored th... Read More about Just imagine Elon Musk... you really think he does that? Neoliberal subjecthood and the sexual marketplace in pornography abstinence/reboot communities..

Nia DaCosta, Candyman, Universal Pictures, 2021. (2024)
Journal Article
SMITH, D.S. 2024. Nia DaCosta, Candyman, Universal Pictures, 2021. Revenant [online], 11: supernatural cities: placing urban identities, memory and cultural crises, pages 335-338. Available from: https://www.revenantjournal.com/contents/nia-dacosta-candyman-universal-pictures-2021/

A review of the 2021 film Candyman that explores it in relation to location, memories and identities.

Even though I’m not an incel, I’m still an involuntary celibate: a journey in and out of inceldom. (2024)
Journal Article
SMITH, D.S., BUTLER-WARKE, A. and STEVENS, G. 2025. Even though I'm not an incel, I'm still an involuntary celibate: a journey in and out of inceldom. Communication review [online], 28(1), pages 1-25. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/10714421.2024.2383814

Incels, or involuntary celibates, represent a sub-section of the manosphere: an informal confederacy of digital communities where men construct and strengthen anti-feminist/male hegemonic narratives. Inceldom represents a beta masculine identity, wit... Read More about Even though I’m not an incel, I’m still an involuntary celibate: a journey in and out of inceldom..

It made me feel powerful in a way: the role of suicidality in incel communities. (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
SMITH, D.S. 2024. It made me feel powerful in a way: the role of suicidality in incel communities. Presented at the 8th Suicide and self-harm early and mid-career researchers’ forum 2024, 17-18 June 2024, Glasgow, UK.

Incels (involuntary celibates) are young men who see themselves as naturally inferior to others ("the red pill") and believe this cannot be changed ("the black pill"). Research suggests they are very likely to experience suicidal ideation. This proje... Read More about It made me feel powerful in a way: the role of suicidality in incel communities..

Land of woke and glory? The British war on wokeness. [Conference Event] (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
SMITH, D. 2024. Land of woke and glory? The British war on wokeness. Presented at the 2024 Robert Gordon University community seminar series, 12 March 2024, Aberdeen, UK.

Wokeness is discussed in the media on a daily basis, and has been called "one of the biggest threats to modern civilisation" by the then world's richest man. Yet its specific meaning is extremely vague. The term originated among black American commun... Read More about Land of woke and glory? The British war on wokeness. [Conference Event].

Threads, Tweets and TikToks: the ethics and challenges of online qualitative research. (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
SMITH, D.S. and MEECHAN, A. 2024. Threads, Tweets and TikToks: the ethics and challenges of online qualitative research. Presented at the February 2024 School of Applied Social Studies (SASS) research and development hour, 14 February 2024, Aberdeen, UK.

Since the late 90s, social media has revolutionised how people interact and communicate. Among other things, they help old friends keep in touch, people from marginalised communities meet safely, and individuals explore aspects of their identity and... Read More about Threads, Tweets and TikToks: the ethics and challenges of online qualitative research..

Members in good standing? The relationship between NoFap/reboot communities and the manosphere. (2024)
Journal Article
SMITH, D.S. 2024. Members in good standing? The relationship between NoFap/Reboot communities and the manosphere. International journal of communication [online], 18, pages 528-541. Available from: https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/20524/4448

NoFap/reboot communities are online groups of mostly men trying to abstain from pornography and/or masturbation. For researchers exploring the manosphere, a loose collation of digital communities in which men affirm and replicate antifeminist/promale... Read More about Members in good standing? The relationship between NoFap/reboot communities and the manosphere..

One of the biggest threats to modern civilisation? The weaponisation of "wokeness" in the UK press and political discourses. (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
SMITH, D.S. 2023. One of the biggest threats to modern civilisation? The weaponisation of "wokeness" in the UK press and political discourses. Presented at the 2023 International PhD scholar conference: researching sensitive subjects and fragile lives, 5-7 December 2023, [virtual conference].

Though the term originated in the early twentieth century, it is only recently "wokeness" has become a staple of British media discourse. Typically, the concept features in commentaries and exchanges about institutional power, censorship, minority ri... Read More about One of the biggest threats to modern civilisation? The weaponisation of "wokeness" in the UK press and political discourses..

Land of woke and glory? The conceptualisation and framing of "wokeness" in UK media and public discourses. [Article] (2023)
Journal Article
SMITH, D.S., BOAG, L., KEEGAN, C. and BUTLER-WARKE, A. 2023. Land of woke and glory? The conceptualisation and framing of "wokeness" in UK media and public discourses. Javnost: the public [online], 30(4), pages 513-533. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/13183222.2023.2273656

Though the term originated in the early twentieth century, it is only recently "wokeness" has become a staple of British media discourse. Typically, the concept features in commentaries and exchanges about institutional power, censorship, minority ri... Read More about Land of woke and glory? The conceptualisation and framing of "wokeness" in UK media and public discourses. [Article].

They didn't think I could be that person online, but I was: a journey in and out of inceldom. (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
SMITH, D. 2023. They didn't think I could be that person online, but I was: a journey in and out of inceldom. Presented at the 18th European congress of psychology: psychology: uniting communities for a sustainable world, 3-6 July 2023, Brighton, UK.

The present study uses interviews to explore why young men join involuntary celibate (aka incel) communities, why they stay, and some factors that predict their leaving. The manosphere represents an informal digital coalition in which groups of mostl... Read More about They didn't think I could be that person online, but I was: a journey in and out of inceldom..

Monogamy? In this economy? Stigma and resilience in consensual non-monogamous relationships. (2023)
Journal Article
FÜLLGRABE, D. and SMITH, D.S. 2023. Monogamy? In this economy? Stigma and resilience in consensual non-monogamous relationships. Sexuality and culture [online], 27(5), pages 1955-1976. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-023-10099-7

Monogamous marriage, sometimes called "the bedrock of society," still carries an apparent "halo" of moral superiority as a relationship structure. In contrast, consensual non-monogamous (CNM) configurations are stigmatized. Research indicates a conne... Read More about Monogamy? In this economy? Stigma and resilience in consensual non-monogamous relationships..

Why would anyone join the "nofap" movement? (2023)
Newspaper / Magazine
SMITH, D.S. 2023. Why would anyone join the "nofap" movement? Current affairs [online], 30 January 2023. Available from: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2023/01/making-sense-of-nofap-culture

In this contribution to "Current Affairs", the author explains the theory behind the "nofap" challenge, in which participants don't masturbate or watch porn. It has grown into a large online movement. The author explores the gender politics of these... Read More about Why would anyone join the "nofap" movement?.

Recommendation of She's a gold-digger, bad mom, and drug-using floozy: women's rivalry gets "dirty". [Open peer review] (2022)
Digital Artefact
SMITH, D. 2022. Recommendation of She's a gold-digger, bad mom, and drug-using floozy: women's rivalry gets "dirty". [Open peer review]. Hosted on H1 Connect [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3410/f.742388624.793596242

This is a recommendation of FISHER, M.L., ZINCK, M., LINK, J., SAVOIE, J. and CONROD, A. 2022. She's a gold-digger, bad mom, and drug-using floozy: women's rivalry gets "dirty". Evolutionary psychological science [online], 8(4), pages 430-441. Availa... Read More about Recommendation of She's a gold-digger, bad mom, and drug-using floozy: women's rivalry gets "dirty". [Open peer review].

The ultimate test of self-discipline: lockdown and the NoFap community. (2022)
Journal Article
SMITH, D.S., BUTLER-WARKE, A., DAVIDSON, E.-L. and STEVENS, G. 2024. The ultimate test of self-discipline: lockdown and the NoFap community. Sexualities [online], 27(4), pages 939-961. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607221091493

NoFap is a community of mostly heterosexual men abstaining from what they see as an addictive cycle of pornography, masturbation, and orgasm, induced by the exploitation of innate male urges by the pornography industry. In the general population, inc... Read More about The ultimate test of self-discipline: lockdown and the NoFap community..