Dissertation Research Proposals – Department of Sociology
My name is Sabrina Gheorghe, and I am studying Psychology & Sociology. I am particularly
interested in masculinity, feminist and femininity studies, sociolinguistics, suicide, and
religion. I chose Lindsey Garratt as my supervisor because she is interested in young and
‘Irish’ masculinities and gender and sexuality studies. She highlights her interest in postqualitative methods of research, will I feel aligns with what I wish to achieve as I do not
believe research of human behaviour can neatly capture and represent reality. For example,
Durkheim’s theory of suicide does not fully capture the complexity of male suicide in relation
to masculinity and patriarchy, as it does not always fit neatly into one of the 4 types that
Durkheim described.
Research Proposal 1: ‘Disposable Men: Understanding Male Suicide, Early Mortality,
and the Burden of The Patriarchy’
Despite increasing conversations about men’s mental health, the significantly higher rates of
male suicide compared to that of women suggests that hegemonic masculinity and the
patriarchy are to blame. Additionally, early mortality due to childhood cancer is more
prevalent in boys. My interest in this topic stems from 2 personal experiences that have
profoundly shaped my understanding of male vulnerability.
Since 2020, I have personally known 5 Irish men, aged between 17-42, who have died by
suicide, their tragedies compelling me to question the factors that make men more susceptible
to taking their own lives. After reading ‘The Girl Hunt: Urban Nightlife and the Performance
of Masculinity as Collective Activity’ by David Grazian, I thought about the emphasis of ‘girl
hunt’, regardless of the statistical rareness of its success, as just a ritual, a homosocial activity
that offers belonging, teamwork, social and psychological benefits to men, even in a society
where women are more likely to reject these advances. Paradoxically, these very rituals that
men use – less to secure a sexual partner and more to bond with one-another – sustain
hegemonic masculinity and ultimately harm men, playing a role in increased suicide rates.
In 2020, my younger brother was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and I noticed cancer
disproportionately affecting young boys, to which a doctor remarked that ‘men are disposable
in nature because they have almost lost their purpose.’ This statement, though shocking, led
me to consider how our society may be impacting not only men’s mental health, but their
overall survival in nature. According to the official blog of the UK Health Security Agency,
around 1 in every 420 boys under the age of 15 developed cancer compared to 1 in 490 girls.
In my dissertation I will aim to analyse the role of hegemonic masculinity and patriarchal
structures in shaping male mental health outcomes and on early male disease and mortality. I
want to address the following questions: How does hegemonic masculinity contribute to male
distress, emotional suppression, and suicide? Does the decline of traditional male roles, such
as protectors and providers, contribute to early mortality in males? How do men
subconsciously attempt to reclaim a sense of purpose through violent video games,
aggressive sports, competition, violence against women, or homosocial activities like the ‘girl
hunt’?
I would like to use in-depth interviews with men, to explore their experiences with
masculinity and homosocial behaviours, alongside theoretical frameworks such as
Durkheim’s theories of suicide. I hope to argue that the patriarchy and lost societal roles drive
self-destruction and the broader destruction of men by nature itself. It seems like men are
both socially and biologically positioned in a way that accelerates their decline, which is an
ironic feature of the patriarchy. This project is deeply personal to me, as it stems from reallife tragedies and observations that have shaped my perspective on gender. I hope that I can
contribute to a more informed and empathetic discussion around masculinity.
Research Proposal 2: ‘The Fashion Paradox: The Cyclical Nature of Aesthetic
Standards’
My name is Sabrina Gheorghe, and I am studying Psychology & Sociology. I am particularly
interested in masculinity, feminist and femininity studies, sociolinguistics, suicide, and
religion.
Fashion, beauty, and body ideals are constantly cycling through opposing extremes. What is
considered aspirational in one era is usually undesirable in the next, due to cultural,
economic, psychological, and sociological factors. The reason I chose this topic is because I
want to study the cultural expectations and shifts of femininity and the performance of
gender, as well as the intersection of femininity with consumerism and capitalism.
This topic is very relevant today, as the ultra-thin, ‘clean girl’ aesthetic has returned, that was
glorified in the 90s and 2000s as the ‘heroin chic’ aesthetic. In contrast, in the 2010s, curvy
body types became the ideal, leading to a rise in Brazilian Butt Lifts and breast
augmentations, largely influenced by celebrities like Kim Kardashian – who is now
speculated to have reversed these cosmetic procedures today. Similar shifts occur in beauty
trends: long acrylic nails were once a status symbol, with elaborate nail art being a marker of
wealth and style. However, current trends suddenly favour short, natural nails, with
influencers pushing the ‘clean’ or ‘chic French girl’ aesthetic. Makeup trends shifted from the
2016 ‘Instagram Makeup Era’ with ‘The Instagram Brow’ and the Kylie Jenner matte
overdrawn lips, to elaborate ways of achieving the ‘no makeup-makeup look’ and promoting
natural skin as opposed to fake tan. Even fashion trends reflect the paradox, with the early
2000s style having the large, flashy logos, like Juicy Couture tracksuits, which are now
considered tacky. Today, to signal taste and a ‘curated minimalist style and lifestyle’, once
must wear logo-free clothing.
I will aim to answer the following questions in my dissertation: What cultural, economic, and
technological factors drive the complete reversal of trends? How does influencer marketing
contribute to these? Why do certain trends become associated with wealth, only to be
completely rejected later? How do these cycles impact individuals’ identity, self-image, and
consumption? Are contemporary trends repeating historical fashion cycles?
I would like to use a mixed-methods qualitative approach, combining a historical analysis of
changes in trends, with a media and content analysis of social media platforms, with
consumer interviews, and examining how economic conditions and social movements
influence aesthetic standards. I hope to offer serious insight on how aesthetics evolve in
cyclical patterns, allowing them to be predictable. Also, I want to contribute to discussions on
body image and mental health, of particularly women, in the digital age. I also want to
discuss minimalism as the trend that emerged on TikTok in the summer of 2024, called
‘underconsumption core’, which mirrored the post-war ‘utility and simplicity’ movement in
the 1940s-1950s, the anti-consumerism Hippie movement in the 1960s-1970s, the rise of tiny
homes, capsule wardrobes, and digital minimalism in the early 2010s, and the post-pandemic
‘quiet luxury’, ‘anti-fast fashion’, ‘old money aesthetic’ of today – where looking rich means
looking understated.