Living by the rules

: patriarchy, hegemonic masculinity, and the production of violence in domestic abuse and involuntary celibacy

Abstract

This research has three main goals. First, empirically, it explores the interconnectedness of domestic abuse and involuntary celibacy as two forms of gendered violence. It argues that the embodiment of socially constructed and current dominant expectations of family and relationships, sexuality, and appearance are crucial in the pursuit of a hegemonic position in society for both perpetrators of domestic abuse and involuntary celibates. The fear of failure or the perceived failure to meet those expectations create feelings of inadequacy that inform the production of violence. Violence has a dual function: retain and/or regain male dominance and female subordination.

Second, analytically, it explores the utility of a patriarchal lens as conceptualised from a neo-institutionalist perspective. It argues that a neo-institutionalist approach defines systems of oppression as sets of rules that, over time, have come to govern individuals’ actions and beliefs, and that individuals continuously reinforce through practice. This conceptualisation, however, is limited by its omission of the historical and colonial roots of patriarchy.

Finally, it questions the distinction made between various manifestations of gendered violence and the way in which they are studied in distinct silos of knowledge (re)production. It argues that both domestic abuse and involuntary celibacy occur in a same contemporary context of reactionary politics and renegotiation of men’s place in society. This, in turn, blurs the lines between online and offline, as well as public and private nature of the violence, and requires a more holistic intervention approach.

Date of Award	2 Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of St Andrews
Supervisor	Sarah Marsden (Supervisor) & Timothy Wilson (Supervisor)