Academic interests
- Narrative criminology
- Subculture
- Social movement
- Radicalization and the internet
Jan C. Andersen’s research project "Incels, involuntary celibacy and internet radicalization" explore the worldview and narratives of incels, or involuntary celibate.
Incels are part of an online community that mainly consists of men who believes that their current situation, an involuntary lack of sexual and romantic success, is caused by different individual factors like looks and mental health, or more structural factors like on feminism and an imbalanced dating marked. According to incels, they are condemned to live a life of celibacy due to society’s deterministic and hierarchical division based on sex and attractiveness.
The project explores trends and narratives within the incel community, and the subcultural and stylistic characteristics of the incel culture.
Do you want to participate in our research about incels and involuntary celibacy?
Teaching
Andersen teaches, or have taught, in KRIM1000, KRIM1100, KRIM1300, KRIM2101, KRIM4101 and KRIM4104.
Background
Andersen holds a master’s degree in criminology from the University of Oslo. The master thesis analyzed the Internet propaganda of the Islamic State (IS) discussing whether IS should be considered a subculture or a social movement. The thesis has subsequently been published as an article in the journal Terrorism and Political Violence.
Andersen has worked as a research assistant for the project "Radicalization and Resistance", which focused on everyday religion, stigma, extremism and prevention. In exploring counter-narratives to radicalization and extremism it looked at why Muslim youth in Norway are not attracted to radical groups.