Politics of Masculinities: Men in Movements

by Michael A. Messner University of Southern Ca

Overview

The profound changes wrought by the feminist movement were by no means restricted to women. In the years since feminism has taken root, the role of men and masculinity has begun to undergo its own redefinition. Michael A. Messner provides a sociological framework to understand the responses of men to the changes, challenges, and crises in the social organization of gender. By examining not only what certain groups of men say about gender but what they do, Messner helps to illuminate the various social movements engaged with the politics of masculinity. Politics of Masculinities is one of the first books in the new Gender Lens series, which will look at the social world through the lens of gender. The mission of the series is to unpack the assumptions about gender that pervade social life, and to examine the centrality of these assumptions to the way we perceive and interpret our world. Politics of Masculinities is an ideal introduction to the discussion of gender roles and masculinity. This book will be of interest to students and professionals involved in gender studies, sociology, and menrs studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780803955769
Publisher:	AltaMira Press
Publication date:	09/06/1997
Series:	Gender Lens , #3
Pages:	164
Product dimensions:	6.28(w) x 9.28(h) x 0.68(d)

Table of Contents

Men and Masculinities
Men and Masculinities
Essentialist Retreats
The Mythopoetic Men's Movement and the Christian Promise Keepers
The Limits of ‘The Male Sex Role'
The Men's Liberation and Men's Rights Movements
Profeminist Engagements
Radical and Socialist Feminist Men's Movements
Racial and Sexual Identity Politics
Racialized Masculinity Politics and Gay Male Liberation
Backlash or Social Justice?

Editorial Reviews

This is a timely and lively book that illuminates not only what different groups of men think about gender but how they actually perform gender in their daily lives.
— Verta Taylor

Signs: Journal of Women In Culture & Society

It stands out from a good deal of the sociological work on masculinity.
— Sean Nixon

British Journal Of Sociology

This is a timely and lively book that illuminates not only what different groups of men think about gender but how they actually perform gender in their daily lives.
— Verta Taylor

Signs: Journal Of Women In Culture & Society

Messner (sociology, Univ. of Southern California) describes eight recent men's movements in the U.S.: Christian Promise Keepers, Mythopoetic 'Iron John' masculinity, the Men's Liberation Movement, the Men's Rights Movement, Radical Feminist Men, Socialist Feminist Men, Racialized Masculinity Politics, and Gay Male Liberation. He positions the movements on different areas within a triangular-shaped diagram he calls 'the terrain of masculinity politics.' The three angles of the diagram represent institutionalized male privileges; the costs to men of masculinity; and the differences and inequalities among men. He later places his hoped-for future men's movement (which he perceives as a multicultural feminism) in an extension of this triangle and perceptively probes the

strengths, weaknesses, and contradictions within and between the movements. A lucid, jargon-free overview of recent American men's reactions to feminism. All levels.
— R.W. Smith, (California State University, Northridge)

Choice

It stands out from a good deal of the sociological work on masculinity.--Sean Nixon "British Journal of Sociology "

<Politics of Masculinities: Men in Movements is an insightful and progressive sociological analysis of the wide range of men's movement discourse and practice in the contemporary United States. As such it serves as an excellent introduction of its subject for students and scholars, and it will likely become a standard text in undergraduate courses on critical studies of masculinities....--American Studies

is an insightful and progressive sociological analysis of the wide range of men's movement discourse and practice in the contemporary United States. As such it serves as an excellent introduction of its subject for students and scholars, and it will likely become a standard text in undergraduate courses on critical studies of masculinities.--American Studies

From the Publisher

This is a timely and lively book that illuminates not only what different groups of men think about gender but how they actually perform gender in their daily lives.....

Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society - Verta Taylor

Messner (sociology, Univ. of Southern California) describes eight recent men's movements in the U.S.: Christian Promise Keepers, Mythopoetic 'Iron John' masculinity, the Men's Liberation Movement, the Men's Rights Movement, Radical Feminist Men, Socialist Feminist Men, Racialized Masculinity Politics, and Gay Male Liberation. He positions the movements on different areas within a triangular-shaped diagram he calls 'the terrain of masculinity politics.' The three angles of the diagram represent institutionalized male privileges; the costs to men of masculinity; and the differences and inequalities among men. He later places his hoped-for future men's movement (which he perceives as a multicultural feminism) in an extension of this triangle and perceptively probes the strengths, weaknesses, and contradictions within and between the movements. A lucid, jargon-free overview of recent American men's reactions to feminism. All levels..

Choice Reviews - R.W. Smith

<Politics of Masculinities: Men in Movements is an insightful and progressive sociological analysis of the wide range of men's movement discourse and practice in the contemporary United States. As such it serves as an excellent introduction of its subject for students and scholars, and it will likely become a standard text in undergraduate courses on critical studies of masculinities....

American Studies

It stands out from a good deal of the sociological work on masculinity.

British Journal of Sociology - Sean Nixon