Masculinity Studies

Playing fields to battlefields: the development of Australian sporting manhood in its imperial context.

by John Nauright

Published in Journal of Australian Studies No. 56 (1998), co-authored with Daryl Adair and Murray Phillips

(Special Issue: Australian Masculinities: Men and Their Histories, ed. Clive Moore and Kay Saunders), pp. 51-67.

The First Casualty Of War by Daniel Cohen

by Feminism and Religion

Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project

This is the tale of the first death in the Trojan War.

The Greek army was gathered in Aulis. Its men had... more This is the tale of the first death in the Trojan War.

The Greek army was gathered in Aulis. Its men had come from many towns and islands. Some were there with dreams of glory, some with dreams of gold. Others were there because their chief had demanded their presence, and either loyalty to the chief or fear of him had brought them.

The fleet was waiting and the soldiers were ready to embark. But for weeks now the wind had been blowing from the wrong direction, and the men were getting restless at waiting so long. They were beginning to think of the harvest – they had expected that the war would be won long before harvest time – but that was now so close that many men were making ready to go home, and some had already gone.

Hegemonic masculinity and beyond: 40 years of research in Sweden

by Lucas Gottzén

Men & Masculinities, 2012 (with J. Hearn, M. Nordberg, K. Andersson, D. Balkmar, K. Pringle, R. Klinth & L. Sandberg)

This article discusses the status of the concept of hegemonic masculinity in research on men and boys in Sweden, and... more This article discusses the status of the concept of hegemonic masculinity in research on men and boys in Sweden, and how it has been used and developed. Sweden has a relatively long history of public debate, research, and policy intervention in gender issues and gender equality. This has meant, in sheer quantitative terms, a relatively sizeable corpus of work on men, masculinities, and gender relations. There is also a rather wide diversity of approaches, theoretically and empirically, to the analysis of men and masculinities. The Swedish national context and gender equality project is outlined. This is followed by discussion of three broad phases in studies on men and masculinities in Sweden: the 1960s and 1970s before the formulation of the concept of hegemonic masculinity; the 1980s and 1990s when the concept was important for a generation of researchers developing studies in more depth; and the 2000s with a younger generation committed to a variety of feminist and gender critiques other than those associated with hegemonic masculinity. The following sections focus specifically on how the concept of hegemonic masculinity has been used, adapted, and indeed not used, in particular areas of study: boys and young men in family and education; violence; and health. The article concludes with review of how hegemonic masculinity has been used in Swedish contexts, as: gender stereotype, often out of the context of legitimation of patriarchal relations; “Other” than dominant, white middle-class “Swedish,” equated with outmoded, nonmodern, working-class, failing boy, or minority ethnic masculinities; a new masculinity concept and practice, incorporating some degree of gender equality; and reconceptualized and problematized as a modern, heteronormative, and subject-centered concept.

Consumer Culture and Extractive Industry on the Margins of the World System

by Richard Wilk

Published 2006 “Consumer Culture and Extractive Industry on the Margins of the World System.” In Consumer Cultures: Global Perspectives, Edited by John Brewer and Frank Trentmann, Oxford: Berg Publishers. Pp. 123-144.

Our understanding of the origins of modern consumer culture is based largely on research done in Europe and North... more Our understanding of the origins of modern consumer culture is based largely on research done in Europe and North America, among the emerging middle classes. New forms of public display and the respectability of the conjugal family, we are told, fueled the demand for new goods and drove the cycle of fashion.  In this paper I search in another direction for a major contributor to the historical expansion of mass consumption; to the working classes who were on the distant frontiers of the expanding European economic system, beginning in the 16th century.

The setting I will explore is the male “crew” engaged in manual  labor, producing, transporting, and extracting valuable goods for long distance trade. These men subsisted for long periods on basic rations under harsh discipline and constant supervision, engaging in dangerous and often brutal labor. These periods of privation, brightened only by rations of liquor and tobacco, alternated with short bursts of wild revelry and dissolution which only ended when money and credit were exhausted. The rhythm of rations and binges defined working class consumption for hundreds of thousands of loggers, sailors, miners, sealers, whalers, cowboys and pirates for more than 400 years, and it continues today among male-dominated manual professions. This ‘binge economy’ also made important contributions to the fantasies and imagination that are keys to the modern mass culture of consumption.

“Helden des Todes. Zur Sakralisierung von Männlichkeit und Tod”, in: Böhm, D.; Livings, F. (ed.): Erscheinungen des Sakralen. Reimer Verlag 2011, p. 145-161

by Ulrike Brunotte

'Representing Aboriginal Masculinity in Howard's Australia'

by Shino Konishi

Published in Ronald L. Jackson III and Murali Balaji (ed.), Global Masculinities and Manhood, University of Illinois Press, USA, 2011, pp. 161-185.

"Resisting Remasculinization: Tim O'Brien's 'Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong.'"

by Chris Vanderwees

Vanderwees, Chris. "Resisting Remasculinization: Tim O'Brien's 'Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong.'" Feminist Studies in English Literature. 17.2 (2009): 191-210.

Wilting, or the 'Poor Wee Boy Syndrome': Kelman and Masculinity

by Neil McMillan

Krise der Männlichkeit und/oder die (Neu-) Erfindung des Patriarchats. Der Fall der bulgarischen postsozialistischen Transformation der …

by Ana Luleva

"Something Like Happiness" in Northern Bohemia: Post-1989 Cinematic Portrayals of the Czech Industrial North

by Adrienne Harris

East European Politics and Societies.
published online 22 December 2011; forthcoming in print.

“‘Something like Happiness:’ Post-1989 Cinematic Portrayals of the Czech Industrial North” uses the medium of film to... more “‘Something like Happiness:’ Post-1989 Cinematic Portrayals of the Czech Industrial North” uses the medium of film to analyze masculinities at the intersection of the regionally specific with the typical: the peripheral factory town with the universalizing panelák, or apartment block. This article addresses how the private spaces in industrial regions achieve new meaning when the role of the factory or public space, idealized in communist propaganda, has undergone a dramatic transformation.  After the narratives that made spaces “great” became irrelevant in 1989 and the paneláky and factories lost their metaphorical meanings, they became simply apartment buildings and privately-owned worksites.  Within these spaces, many working-class men in industrial regions have faced more difficult transitions than women because they, as idealized workers under socialism, were more invested in the system and lost more from its collapse. Through an analysis of common themes in films released roughly 15 years after the Velvet Revolution, the author asks how these men relate to the panelák, or private space, when excluded from the masculine, public space of the factory.  How does the employment situation impact the family unit?  What solutions do directors present to these men who find themselves ill-equipped for life in the industrial periphery after the post-1989 transition?  This paper draws from and contributes to recent work in the field of Czech gender studies and functions as a Czech case study on the relationship between gender and space in former Eastern Bloc. 

Aportes De Los Estudios De Género En La Conceptualización Sobre Masculinidad

by Alejandra López Gómez

Feminism and masculinity: Reconceptualizing the dichotomy of reason and emotion

by Christine James

Published in the International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 17, 1997, (1/2): 129-152.

Theorising Male Virginity in Popular Romance Novels

by Jonathan Allan

Journal of Popular Romance Studies 2.1 (2011)

Although the virginal female heroine is a standard trope in popular romance fiction, the male virgin in popular... more Although the virginal female heroine is a standard trope in popular romance fiction, the male virgin in popular romance novels has yet to be studied or theorized. To these ends, I argue that male virginity in romance fiction is complex and is distinct from other treatments of male virginity in other media. This study will demonstrate that there is a tripartite process in all novels involving male virgins. To achieve his generically-mandated “Happy Ending,” the male virgin must enunciate his virginity, must begin a process in which he will lose his virginity, and must ultimately lose his virginity.

Black Gay Masculinity As Literary Device In the Poetry of Essex Hemphill, Reginald Harris, and Carl Phillips

by Nicole Ashanti McFarlane

Call for Submissions - Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex, and Power

by Shira Tarrant

Call for Submissions
Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power (Routledge)
•revised second edition•more Call for Submissions
Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power (Routledge)
•revised second edition•
Deadline: March 30, 2012


How can we better understand and imagine new possibilities for men and feminism?


Are you a guy who hates sexism? Do you call yourself a feminist? Have you spent hours over coffee (or beer or on blogs) debating issues of gender, power, race, class, and sexuality? Are you involved with social justice activism? Have you grappled with accountability, imperfection, and social change? If so, then you have stories to tell and I’d like to hear what you have to say.

I am collecting essays for a revised second edition of Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex, and Power (Routledge). I’m interested in first-person accounts of growing up male and identifying with — or questioning the ideals of — feminism. Stories about pivotal moments in personal or political change are especially welcome. You don’t have to call yourself a feminist to have a relevant story. There are so many directions your essay can take, but I am NOT looking for an academic essay. No citations, no footnotes. I AM looking for thought-provoking stories written in your own unique voice using language you actually use when you talk with your friends.

You can use personal stories, things that happened to you, things that people said to you, or that you said to them (or wish you had … or hadn’t.) I am looking for a wide range of experience and perspectives on men and masculinity.

This book respects the risk involved in being willing to critically investigate gender, sex, and power — especially when this isn’t what some people expect from guys. There are lots of good books written by and about feminist women. Men Speak Out is written by, for, and about men and male-identified contributors. The revised second edition will add compelling new perspectives on culture, society, masculinity, feminism, women’s/gender studies, social justice, and anti-sexist movements.

Your essays and stories may reflect on growing up, they might focus on a day-in-the-life vignette, they might explore experiences with racism or homophobia, or they might pose questions that you’ve asked yourself about not power-tripping as a man in a sexist society. These questions might not have answers and this is entirely okay. This is your story in your own words and only you can tell it. The focus, content, and tone is up to you and based on your own thoughts, experiences, concerns, fears, hopes, struggles, and surprises.

Themes and topics of particular interest are included below:

Technology and Social Media — Do you have experiences with gender issues and social media that you want to share? Think: blogging, trolls, Facebook, dating, and organizing for action.

Culture and Society — Are you an artist, musician, rock fan, or hip-hop head? Do you have compelling stories about gender and sexuality in the scene? Was there a time in school, at work, or among your family and friends where you had to grapple with issues of gender, race, sexuality, and power? Was there a time you spoke up about sexism or violence — or a time you wish you had?

Sexuality — Has pornography impacted you or your friends? Are you a feminist man working in the sex industry? How are you affected by the politics of porn?

Family — Do you have a story to tell about being a father, a son, or boyfriend, husband, or partner? Did you grow up with a non-custodial mother? Did you hire a surrogate to start a family? Are you a full-time dad? Do you wish you were?

Masculinity at Work — Do you work in a job where masculinity is an issue? This topic could take plenty of different and unexpected directions.

Masculinity and Identity — What is your experience of masculinity from a transgender, gender-queer, cisgendered or queer perspective? Do you love sports and reject sexism? Were you in the military, prison, or a gang? What does it mean to invite questions of race and men in relation to feminism?

Gender Dilemmas and Social Change — If you want to ally with feminism but you’re not sure what you, as a male, can do, describe this dilemma. Are you wondering if you’re even entitled to be participate since you’re not a woman and don’t quite know how it feels? How have you made a difference or participated in progressive change? Did you radically change your mind or your life because of shifting views on gender, sex, and power? How have you grappled with accountability, imperfection, and social change? These stories may involve a commitment to large-scale politics, personal reflection, or activities in everyday life.



DEADLINE: March 30, 2012

LENGTH: 2,000 to 3,500 words.

FORMAT: Essays must be double-spaced in Times New Roman 12-point font, paginated, double spaced, with standard margins. For full consideration, submit full essays, a brief bio (75-100 words), and complete contact information. Send submissions in .doc or .docx attachment.

SUBMITTING: Send to Shira Tarrant at Shira_Tarrant@yahoo.com. Include Men Speak Out 2e Submission in the subject line. Essays must conform to these complete guidelines for full consideration.


Feel free to pass this call for submissions to friends you think may be interested in this project. Although submitting an essay does not guarantee it will be published, doing so early in the process definitely gives you an advantage, and it does ensure that you have a pivotal role in shaping this book.




Shira Tarrant received her doctorate in political science from UCLA and she is an associate professor with the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach. Her books include Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power (Routledge), When Sex Became Gender (Routledge), Men and Feminism (Seal Press), and Fashion Talks: Undressing the Power of Style (SUNY Press, forthcoming). Read more at http://shiratarrant.com.

Gender, Race, and Violence in Luís Bernardo Honwana’s Nós Matámos o Cão-Tinhoso: The emasculation of the African patriarch

by Mark Sabine

Published in Hilary Owen and Phillip Rothwell (eds), Sexual/Textual Empires: Gender and Marginality in Lusophone African Literature (Lusophone Voices Series, 2) (Bristol: University of Bristol, 2004), 23-44.

This reading addresses Honwana’s critique of colonialism’s systematic emasculation of the black man. Identifying the... more This reading addresses Honwana’s critique of colonialism’s systematic emasculation of the black man. Identifying the performative regulation of a co-existing plurality of masculinities, the article argues that Honwana’s depictions of humiliation and violence indicate lusotropicalism’s imbrication of oppressive hierarchies of race and gender, and the need to efface the indigenous patriarch so as to sustain the myth of Portuguese ‘civilization’’s propagation in a ‘savage’ Africa. Meanwhile, hegemonic masculinity’s association with the brutal assertion of colonial authority marginalizes values attributed to an indigenous paradigm of masculinity. This makes insubordination necessary, and armed rebellion inevitable. 

Courting the Pink Pound: "Men Only" and the Queer Consumer, 1935-1939

by Justin Bengry

History Workshop Journal 68 (2009): pp. 122-148.

Men Only was among the earliest men’s lifestyle magazines published in Britain. From its first issue, in December... more Men Only was among the earliest men’s lifestyle magazines published in Britain. From its first issue, in December 1935, the magazine cultivated a mainstream audience of middle-class, presumably heterosexual male consumers. But at the same time, I argue, it addressed and courted another audience long associated with urban leisure and fashionable consumption. References to homosexuality in Men Only went beyond mockery and insults directed at effeminate men. Instead, both textual and visual references to subcultural codes, practices, and homoerotically charged situations all reinforced potential readings of the magazine that would be understood by a queer audience. Other readers sometimes decoded the magazine’s references and doublespeak too. Some even expressed concern that particular magazine elements were ‘a trifle pansy’. But by printing such concerns the magazine producers further highlighted Men Only’s complicated dual address. By 1939, however, as the magazine’s references to homosexuality and urban queer subcultures became increasingly dated and less lucrative, it began to direct its attention to a new military and home front audience. This article argues that through the deft use of humour, imagery, and coded doublespeak, Men Only courted a homosexual market segment a full half century before advertisers and marketers would openly acknowledge and seek the Pink Pound.

The Construction of Masculinity in The Matrix

by Nora Koller

Call for papers Men, Masculinities, Travel and Tourism

by Thomas Thurnell-Read

The Sword and the Prayerbook: the Ideal of Irish Manliness from Colmcill to Cúchulainn

by Joe Nugent

published in "Victorian Studies," 2008

Abstract

This essay considers the inordinate impact that a small highly motivated cadre of religious can... more Abstract

This essay considers the inordinate impact that a small highly motivated cadre of religious can have on the life of a devout country. As the Catholic Church responded to secular models of the nineteenth-century hero by refurbishing its saints, so the Irish Church promoted the native saint as the sole authentic positive stereotype deserving of the Irishman’s emulation. At a time when the concepts of Irishness and manliness were being contested, The League of St Columba proposed that the physical, psychological, and spiritual characteristics of Colmcill be materialized in the new Irish youth. By folding the mystical rhetoric of Catholicism into the search for national identity, the League altered the course of Irish nationalism, and deeply inflected the trajectory of Irish manly development. While Colmcill’s ascendance as emulatory type was brief, the qualities he was shaped to embody were reinscribed in the Catholic priest, who himself became installed as the aspirational model for the youth of Ireland.