Summary literature Perfect Self(ie)
Jamie Hakim (2018) – ‘The Spornosexual’: The Affective Contradictions of Male Body Work in Neo-
Liberal Digital Culture .......................................................................................................................................... 2
Key concepts ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
Short summary of the text ................................................................................................................................... 3
Summary of the text ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 4
The male body, neoliberal austerity and precarious structures of feeling: a theoretical framework .............. 5
Male embodiment in neoliberal digital culture............................................................................................... 6
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................... 9
, Jamie Hakim (2018) – ‘The Spornosexual’: The Affective Contradictions of Male
Body Work in Neo-Liberal Digital Culture
Hakim, Jamie (2018). ‘The Spornosexual’: The Affective Contradictions of Male Body Work
in Neo-Liberal Digital Culture. Journal of Gender Studies 27 (2): 231-241.
Key concepts
Rise of Muscular Body Image Sharing (Since 2008):
- Young British men increasingly share images of muscular bodies on social media since
2008.
- This trend reflects their response to the challenges posed by neoliberal austerity
measures.
- They turn to showcasing their bodies as a way to create value in the face of limited job
opportunities.
Cruel Optimism and Affective Contradictions:
- Interviews reveal a contradictory feeling of “cruel optimism”.
- This term, coined by Lauren Berlant, describes the pursuit of unattainable ideals that
perpetuates precarity.
- Men engage in cultural practices that hinder the promised transformations, resulting in
complex affective experiences.
Power Shifts and Neoliberal Austerity:
- Neoliberalism idealizes competitive individuals and aligns with austerity measures that
reduce social support.
- Young people born after 1980 face economic precarity due to high living costs and
limited job opportunities.
- Rise of digitally mediated body practices by young, middle-class, cis-gendered men
reflects changing power hierarchies within the austerity context.
Structure of Feeling and Shifting Power Dynamics:
- The text employs Raymond Williams’ concept of “structure of feeling” to explore the
experience of losing power in a specific historical context.
- Men’s pursuit of muscular bodies and image-sharing reflects changing power dynamics
influenced by neoliberalism and austerity.
Multifaceted Cultural Practices:
Jamie Hakim (2018) – ‘The Spornosexual’: The Affective Contradictions of Male Body Work in Neo-
Liberal Digital Culture .......................................................................................................................................... 2
Key concepts ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
Short summary of the text ................................................................................................................................... 3
Summary of the text ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 4
The male body, neoliberal austerity and precarious structures of feeling: a theoretical framework .............. 5
Male embodiment in neoliberal digital culture............................................................................................... 6
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................... 9
, Jamie Hakim (2018) – ‘The Spornosexual’: The Affective Contradictions of Male
Body Work in Neo-Liberal Digital Culture
Hakim, Jamie (2018). ‘The Spornosexual’: The Affective Contradictions of Male Body Work
in Neo-Liberal Digital Culture. Journal of Gender Studies 27 (2): 231-241.
Key concepts
Rise of Muscular Body Image Sharing (Since 2008):
- Young British men increasingly share images of muscular bodies on social media since
2008.
- This trend reflects their response to the challenges posed by neoliberal austerity
measures.
- They turn to showcasing their bodies as a way to create value in the face of limited job
opportunities.
Cruel Optimism and Affective Contradictions:
- Interviews reveal a contradictory feeling of “cruel optimism”.
- This term, coined by Lauren Berlant, describes the pursuit of unattainable ideals that
perpetuates precarity.
- Men engage in cultural practices that hinder the promised transformations, resulting in
complex affective experiences.
Power Shifts and Neoliberal Austerity:
- Neoliberalism idealizes competitive individuals and aligns with austerity measures that
reduce social support.
- Young people born after 1980 face economic precarity due to high living costs and
limited job opportunities.
- Rise of digitally mediated body practices by young, middle-class, cis-gendered men
reflects changing power hierarchies within the austerity context.
Structure of Feeling and Shifting Power Dynamics:
- The text employs Raymond Williams’ concept of “structure of feeling” to explore the
experience of losing power in a specific historical context.
- Men’s pursuit of muscular bodies and image-sharing reflects changing power dynamics
influenced by neoliberalism and austerity.
Multifaceted Cultural Practices:
