The game/s that men play: Male bonding in the Swedish business elite 1890–1960

Abstract

During the first half of the twentieth century, the industrial success of Sweden opened up for an exclusive lifestyle among the business elite. Drawing on how a hunting club constructed and reproduced male fantasies, the article deals with male bonding in relation to generation change. By examining the sources such as correspondence and notes from a hunting society dominated by businessmen, the article highlights male performance of gender in a historical context. The article argues that male bonding can result in inequalities among different generations of men, since tension might occur if the homosocial space is based on hierarchies.