The Role of the Men's Movement at the All-Male College

Abstract

This article explores the potential of the men's movement to inform the education of men enrolled in single-sex colleges, and to engage men students in the study of gender and an exploration of masculinity. Much of the traditional focus of the men's movement is of little direct interest to eighteen- to twenty-three-year-old male undergraduates. The field of men's studies has two foci of great interest to college men, however. These include men's relationships with women—with a particular emphasis on the impact of gender on intimacy, communication, and sexuality, and men's relationships with other men. Issues of greatest importance to men in their relationships with other men include friendship and intimacy, competition and aggression, shared developmental experiences, perspectives on fathering, and the role of drugs and alcohol in their lives. Issues related to feminism and homophobia are more difficult to explore but are also of great interest and importance.