Masculinities at work

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an overall review of the literature on masculinities and work and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the existing research in understanding men's work as well as pointing to new direction for work.Design/methodology/approachExtensive, in‐depth review of the literature on men and work.Findings – Findings identify three main strands of research on men and work. The existing research focuses on the role of men as breadwinners, the effects of work for masculine identity and the economic benefits of men's work.Research limitations/implicationsThe in‐depth survey of the literature provides the unique, empirical opportunity observe the strengths and weaknesses of existing literature. While extensive studies exists on adult men, teenage boys’ labor has rarely been problematized.Practical implicationsThe paper provides a very useful source of information on masculinities and work and offers a new direction for future research on the topic.Originality/valueThis paper offers a comprehensive review of the existing literature of masculinities in the workplace. It identifies the general sub‐areas of research, and offers a neglected yet crucial part of the workforce: teenage boys as a virtually unexplored area for future research.