For now, though, Dr Sundaram’s priority is finding a way to tackle lad culture in UK academic institutions: “Tackling lad culture is a key means of recognising and challenging gender inequality. Lad culture is only part of the problem then. YO10 5DD Arising in the early 1990s, the image of the "lad"—or "new lad"—was that of a generally middle class figure espousing attitudes … Some staff think it can even have beneficial effects for the young men themselves, giving some male students ‘confidence’ and a ‘sense of belonging’ to a group. The text of this article is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. “Examples cited included sexist language and demeaning behaviour towards women students – and, in a few instances, towards female staff. If a link can be drawn between lad culture and sexual assault and harassment at universities, then that is deeply troubling indeed. Avoid Uni's or campuses where these departments are present or you'll end up being kept awake by bawdy 'the lads' type guys. A relationship between involvement in lad Now, it has permeated university culture and is causing grave concern. But Dave Llewellyn, founder of The Good Lad initiative, warns that “blaming lad culture for all misogyny shuts many young men out of a conversation they need to be a part of.”, And Universities UK says the term Lad Culture is problematic: “It could create the impression that what was being referred to was trivial and not serious, or lead to an assumption that misogyny, racism and homophobia are specific to an alcohol/sporting culture when they are present across all cultures and demographics.”. Responding to increasing concerns about the harmful effects of so-called ‘lad culture’ in British universities, and related ‘bro’ and ‘frat’ cultures in US colleges, this book is the first to explore and analyse the perspectives of university staff on these cultures, which students suggest foster the normalisation of sexism, homophobia, racism, sexual harassment and violence. Lad culture – no matter how offensive it can be – seems to get a free pass into university. “I think it would be a great incentive for departments to be able to show funders, parents and students that they offer a safe and supportive place to study. Exploring the extent to which gender-making practices associated with lad identities in UK contexts influence young people’s behaviour both online and offline. Everyone should be listening, because solutions can’t be found without knowing the extent of the problem. SORRY THE MUSIC HAS BEEN REMOVED. Responding to increasing concerns about the harmful effects of so-called ‘lad culture’ in British universities, and related ‘bro’ and ‘frat’ cultures in US colleges, this book is the first to explore and analyse the perspectives of university staff on these cultures, which students suggest foster the normalisation of sexism, homophobia, racism, sexual harassment and violence. Lad culture on university campuses is a topic that has become increasingly prevalent in media conversation over the last few years, particularly coinciding with the rise of the #MeToo movement, and it’s an issue that needs to be addressed when even simple things, like walking home at night as a woman, can make you feel vulnerable. Sadly, lad culture has taken precedent for student behaviour. The results have paved the way for new thinking around an issue that has prompted student protests and campus campaigns across the country. We found the following useful online resources for universities on tackling lad culture in higher education: To talk to us about how we support students on issues such as lad culture or other issues discussed in our blogs, drop us a line: [email protected]. The NUS report, What She Said, was the first major study into the prevalence and impact of lad culture at universities, from the perspective of female students. In 2014 our Department of Education became the first Education department in the country to win the Gender Equality Charter Mark. ‘Lad culture’ – a phenomenon which exists predominantly amongst university students - has gained notoriety recently for its excessive alcohol consumption, sexist and homophobic ‘banter’, and objectification of women. As Good Lad advises, male students have to be a part of the solution. York's novel system improves greenhouse gas emissions data. Early in 2015, the Equality Challenge Unit announced that it was merging the Athena SWAN award with the Gender Equality Charter Mark. Students who see it still brush it off with a casual “it’s just banter” or even celebrate it with the phrase “what a lad”, not realising that extreme cases of lad culture often make university campuses very unsafe places to be. The fact it's at the forefront of the media now doesn't mean anything has changed. ׁLad culture (oder laddish culture und laddism) ist eine Bezeichnung für eine britische Jugendkultur, die mit dem Britpop der 1990er aufkam. That’s almost 1 in 10 female students. University lad culture: what the hell is ‘positive masculinity’? Our review suggests that ‘laddism’ can be seen as one of many potential forms of masculinity, and that ‘cultures’ are multiple and fluid and responsive to broader social structures. The subculture involves young men assuming an anti-intellectual position, shunning sensitivity in favour of drinking, violence, hard drugs, racism and … Furthermore, ‘lad cultures’, sexism and sexual harassment in higher education may be rendered invisible by institutions to preserve marketability in a neoliberal context. What processes did we have in place? Research by the National Union of Students, for example, has uncovered lots of examples of gender-specific harassment and violence among students. A public sector equality duty (PSED) which came into force in April 2011 requires institutions “to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Act”. What was the culture of our Department really like? It is awarded to university departments that demonstrate commitment to advancing women’s careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine. And students at the University of Nottingham were found singing a misogynistic chant that included a line about digging up a female corpse and having sex with it. She would also like to see funders taking the award of the charter mark into account when selecting which departments and institutions to support. “In our Department, this award really made us think about what we actually do. “Sexual harassment and violence were found to be very much related to ‘lad culture’, including verbal harassment, ‘catcalling’, physical harassment and sexual molestation.” The report showed that groping in nightclubs was viewed by some as part of a ‘normal’ night out. 'Lad culture' will mostly exist around sports departments and mickey mouse courses that are easy to get into. Similarly, UWS (University of the West of Scotland) student Heather Armstrong says ‘I’d say lad culture is a negative part of the socialisation of young people, especially young men’. By examining the ways in which lad … The Good Lad is a brilliant initiative that involves speaking with male students through workshops about positive masculinity. © Copyright 2020 Content Consultants. Lad culture does nothing to promote the integrity of individual men” the paper writes. You're free to republish it, as long as you link back to this page and credit us. To add weight to their call, Dr Sundaram and Professor Jackson are planning to roll out their research more widely, to gather data from both students and staff and gain a better definition of what constitutes lad culture. Lad culture has been much talked about as an element of British Higher Education (HE). She cites the example of the Athena SWAN Charter, administered by the Equality Challenge Unit. However, research on the phenomenon in university environments, and its impact on women, is scarce. However, their objections to laddish behaviours … It is suggested that they hinder not just their own … In 2014 Dr Sundaram and Professor Carolyn Jackson from Lancaster University received funding from the Society for Research into Higher Education to gather data on lad culture from the staff perspective at six English universities. The initiative’s goal is to “enable men to deal with complex gender situations and become agents of positive change within their social circles and broader communities”. York Dr Sundaram is now calling for this to change, and believes that using a charter mark could help. It’s not optional for universities to take this action either – it’s a legal requirement under The Equality Act 2010. We found that although laddism is only one of various potential masculinities, for our participants it dominated the social and sexual spheres of university life in problematic ways. While lad culture is a big issue, we need to consider harassment on a larger scale in university towns. Students, as exemplified by my own experience, are targeted by … Lad culture is a misplaced view of "manliness", and so can create a multitude of vulnerabilities and problems. As defined, lad culture is not exclusively for men.The Telegraph recognizes that women may be complicit and contributing to lad culture in order to fit in socially. “That’s a powerful message, and I’d like to see the criteria for the award extended to include efforts to tackle sexist culture in general.”. University of York ‘Lad culture’ was seen as centred on the social side of university life, but what is clear from the research is that these different spheres of university life are actually intricately intertwined. Lad culture, represented through a range of practices, from heavy alcohol consumption to banter, reproduces itself in University campuses in a multiplicity of ways. There’s the famous case of LSE male rugby team producing and circulating sexist and homophobic emails and leaflets. In 2012 the NUS produced a report describing lad culture as “a group or pack mentality residing in activities such as sport and heavy alcohol consumption and ‘banter’ which was sexist, misogynist, or homophobic.” Thought to originate in the 1990s alongside the Britpop movement, lad culture has been on the rise since. 2014’s Nottingham University freshers hit the headlines with their repulsive chant: ‘Now she’s dead but not forgotten, dig her up and f*** her rotten’. This is “lad culture” 2014; a litany of slags and sluts and whores, of ugly sexist incident after ugly sexist incident, occurring in the main part within a school or university context. 50 per cent of study participants identified "prevailing sexism, 'laddism' and a culture of harassment" at their universities. As well as services offered by third party organisations, there are steps that universities can also take themselves to tackle prejudice and establish a culture of security and equality on campus. Still, it is a sub-culture that promotes a form of masculinity harmful to both women and men. Male students are criticised for being confrontational in seminars and disruptive in lectures. It is vital that institutions understand this as a gender issue in order to understand and effectively deal with the impact on women students and staff in particular.”. With males suicide rates consistently higher than female suicide rates in the UK, this could have deadly consequences. “We found that lad culture is evident across all six institutions and that most staff are aware of it,” says Dr Sundaram. Our education experts are calling for a new approach to tackle so-called ‘lad-culture’ in UK higher education following a pioneering study which explored the attitudes of university staff to the problem. Research by Rape Revolt found that 8% of female students said they had been raped at university which is double the 4% of all women in England and Wales. Sarah, a recent graduate from Cambridge University, explained to The Telegraph that women often “just laugh it off because otherwise you look like you have no sense of humour…you don’t know what to do.” Innerhalb der Lad culture nehmen junge, männliche Angehörige der Mittelschicht Haltungen … Lad culture is the lovechild of misogyny and male arrogance. Articles about university ‘lad cultures’ are currently pervasive in the UK media. It brought some deeply troubling findings to light. Also set up by the Equality Challenge Unit, this award recognises efforts to address gender inequalities and imbalance in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Initiatives like Rape Revolt and Everyday Sexism are offering women a platform to speak out about instances of assault. Initiatives to combat lad culture must involve men. ‘Unfortunately lad culture is an intrinsic and subtle part of English culture, most pertinent in student life. In 2012 the NUS produced a report describing lad culture as “a group or pack mentality residing in activities such as sport and heavy alcohol consumption and ‘banter’ which was sexist, misogynist, or homophobic.” Thought to originate in the 1990s alongside the Britpop movement, lad culture has been on the rise since. Our education experts are calling for a new approach to tackle so-called ‘lad-culture’ in UK higher education following a pioneering study which explored the attitudes of university staff to the problem. Unihealth is a Registered Trade Mark of Content Consultants Limited. Dr Sundaram knows at first hand the impact that such an award can have on the culture of a department. We decided to look at it from a staff perspective and we were the first in the UK to do so.”. “A core component of good mental health is feeling able to be yourself, able to say what you are thinking and feeling without fear of rejection or ridicule. Now, it has permeated university culture and is causing grave concern. Arising in the early 1990s, the image of the "lad"—or "new lad"—was that of a generally middle class figure espousing attitudes typically attributed to the working classes. As Herald Scotland pointed out, lad culture can seriously inhibit male students’ ability to speak out about mental health – and get the support they need. Statistics on rape and assault at universities are frankly harrowing. experiences of ‘lad culture’ and university in general. Lad culture. She would like to see the criteria of the new award expanded beyond quantitative measures of gender inequality and imbalance to include a commitment to combatting sexist culture in all its forms. Some see laddish behaviour as a ‘pack phenomenon’, where young men ‘take a joke too far’. United Kingdom, © University of York Legal statements | Privacy | Cookies | Modern slavery statement | Accessibility, Study calls for new approach to tackle student 'lad culture' in higher education, Environmental sustainability and resilience, “You can try but you won't stop it. In response, we ask if we might foster dialogue and partnership between feminist and anti-marketisation politics. All rights reserved, Universities UK report: “Changing the culture”. “There was so much about lad culture in the media,” explains Dr Vanita Sundaram from our Centre for Research on Education and Social Justice, “and the vast majority was from the student perspective. Or if someone used homophobic language in our classrooms?”. Dr Sundaram believes this represents an opportunity. It'll always be there”: Youth perspectives on violence and prevention in schools, Centre for Research on Education and Social Justice. Deutsch entspricht die Bezeichnung Lad etwa dem Kerl oder Burschen, mit Lad sind aber weitere Assoziationen verbunden, die einen lauten, prahlerischen Lebensstil betreffen. Coping with medication side-effects could get easier thanks to our research. Investigating the role that social media networks, particularly digital infrastructures, play in the development of young masculinities, particularly those associated with ‘laddish’ identities. Perhaps it could even be awarded at institutional level too, if the institution can show that they are tackling the problem across campus.”. Growing attention is being paid to “laddism” or “lad culture” and the difficulties this apparently poses for all in universities. Some see laddish behaviour as a ‘pack phenomenon’”. They would also like to explore equivalent phenomena overseas. What policies did we have if, for example, someone put up sexist posters in the building? Lad culture is a British subculture initially associated with the Britpop movement. This article reports on research funded by the National Union of Students, which explored women students’ experiences of ‘lad culture’ through focus groups and interviews. This is how uni lads have acted since before you were born. This video was made for one of my marketing masters modules at the University of Exeter. Yes we said it: men too. 5. Research interests include the educational experiences of marginalised pupils and pupils outside mainstream education and gender inequality in education. LAD Bible and UNILAD are now some of the most visited sites in the UK, but have both been criticised for content trivialising rape and for acting as platforms for sexist “banter”. Lad culture (also laddish culture and laddism) is a British and Irish subculture initially associated with the Britpop movement. Key themes/findings 4. Our researchers are reinterpreting the history of 200 monuments at St Paul's Cathedral. Anecdotal accounts of lad culture include things like ‘slut dropping’ (offering female students a lift home but then leaving them stranded a long way from home), ‘hazing’ (initiation ceremonies usually linked to male sports teams) and fancy dress parties with themes such as ‘pimps and hoes’ and ‘geeks and sluts’ (University of York, 2017). The issue has been highlighted in the UK media including stories of ‘slut dropping’ (where male students offer women lifts home after night-time socials but leave them stranded miles from home), and sexually-based student initiation ceremonies. There’s a feeling that lad culture at UK universities is on the increase, and if that’s the case, it’s the product of several intersecting trends. SR: Lad culture is obviously a huge threat to the experience of women at university, but I think the effect lad culture has on men is often overlooked. The NUS is launching a social media campaign to highlight "lad culture" on university campuses and has asked students to tweet their experiences. “Finally, we found that none of the six universities involved in the study have any explicit policies to deal with the issue.”. 'Lad culture' is just uni life with a new name. The results have paved the way for new thinking around an issue that has prompted student protests and campus campaigns across the country. “But we also discovered that not all staff consider it to be problematic. “Funders are saying to science departments that they have to have an Athena SWAN award to be eligible for funding,” says Dr Sundaram. “Lad culture” that can result in sexual harassment is being allowed to fester at British universities because of a lack of action by institutions, the National Union of Students (NUS) has warned. How can we avoid feeling low during lockdown? 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