University of Manchester slammed for allowing ‘PhD in masturbation’

The University of Manchester has been criticised by an MP after it allowed a student to publish a ‘PhD in masturbation’. 

Swedish student Karl Andersson was researching ‘shota’, a genre of Japanese comic books which depict prepubescent or pubescent male characters in a ‘suggestive or erotic’ manner. 

In his 4,000 word project, which was published by the university and SAGE Journals, Andersson outlined how he wanted to ‘understand how [individuals] experience sexual pleasure when reading shota’. 

According to his paper, he embarked upon a three-month stint of masturbating to the comic books, where he made notes on each session. He noted how he refrained from any sexual activity and from watching ‘regular’ pornography.

Explaining his ‘methodology’, Andersson said, as per The Telegraph: “In short: I would masturbate in the same way that my research participants did it.

“After each masturbation session I would write down my thoughts and feelings – a kind of critical self-reflection – in a notebook, as well as details about which material I had used, where I had done it, at what time, and for how long.”

While many found that nature of Andersson’s research questionable, Conservative MP Neil O’Brien found particular issue with it, with him highlighting the study on Twitter and questioning: “taxWhy should hard-working taxpayers in my constituency have to pay for an academic to write about his experiences masturbating to Japanese porn?”

Following the publicity surrounding O’Brien’s tweet, the University of Manchester confirmed it had launched a ‘detailed’ investigation into the publication of the article.

A spokesperson for the university said in a statement: “The recent publication in Qualitative Research of the work of a student, now registered for a PhD, has raised significant concerns and complaints which we are taking very seriously.

“We are currently undertaking a detailed investigation into all aspects of their work, the processes around it and other questions raised. It is very important that we look at the issues in-depth.

“While that investigation is ongoing, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time.”

SAGE Journals has also addressed the backlash, confirming in a statement posted to Twitter that the article ‘is under investigation’.