University criticised for allowing a 'PhD in Masturbation'

According to his thesis, these comics tend to involve 'young boy characters in a cute or, most often, sexually explicit way'.

The aim of the three-month study, the visual anthropologist said, was to 'understand how [individuals] experience sexual pleasure when reading shota'.

He had initially carried out interviews and surveys, but his research hit a wall, and so he decided to take an active role in the study, copying his participants by masturbating to the comics and analysing each session.

During this time, Andersson also had a ban on any other types of porn or sex with another person.

The article, which has been published in the Journal of Qualitative Research, is titled 'I am not alone – we are all alone: Using masturbation as an ethnographic method in research on shota subculture in Japan'.

It reads: "I therefore started reading the comics in the same way as my research participants had told me that they did it: while masturbating.

"In this research note, I will recount how I set up an experimental method of masturbating to shota comics, and how this participant observation of my own desire not only gave me a more embodied understanding of the topic for my research but also made me think about loneliness and ways to combat it as driving forces of the culture of self-published erotic comics."

Andersson added that he had recently come out of a long-term relationship when he embarked on his research, which contributed to his 'eagerness'.

He went on: "For a period of three months, I would masturbate only to shota comics. For this purpose, I would use dōjinshi and commercial volumes that I have bought or been given during fieldwork in Japan.

"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.

"I would not be allowed to have any other sexual relief during this ‘fieldwork’ in my own sexuality: no regular porn, no sex with another person, no fantasies or memories – it had to be shota every time.

"I happened to live alone during this experiment, and I had newly become single after a long relationship – these factors probably contributed to my willingness and eagerness to explore this method."

Since news of the study came to light, Andersson has come in for a fair bit of criticism, with some branding it a Phd on 'w**king' and 'hugely disturbing'.

The University of Manchester has since confirmed that it had launched an investigation into the matter.

A spokesperson for the uni said: "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 "