Hegemonic Masculinity Research Articles

Political masculinities as an analytical category? Rethinking the concept

This article critically reviews the concept of political masculinities that has been developed and applied across disciplines over the last ten years. I reflect on its future use across disciplines and, in particular, political science. In arguing for its continued utility, I suggest that, rather than existing as a category or configuration of gender practice, it acts as a useful lens through which to view the variably implicit and explicit practice of gendered power relations. This allows us to navigate what has been recognised as the ‘multifariousness and decentredness’ of different categories or configurations of gender practice and makes the varying politicalness of these practices visible as a basis for equitable gender change. In developing the concept further, I define what is ‘political’ in political masculinities and examine its relation to other categories or configurations of masculinity practices, such as hegemonic, dominant, marginalised and subordinate masculinities.

Black Queer Men Transgressing Masculine Normativity

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examined how Black queer men (BQM) in college conceptualized gender and sexuality as they navigated hegemonic and toxic forms of masculinity. Mobilizing queer of color critique, we delve into data from a multi-year critical ethnographic study to unearth the worldmaking practices that BQM engage to dislodge and disrupt the omnipresent gender norms they faced within postsecondary contexts. Our analysis yielded three themes related to BQM experiences with masculinities: (a) perspectives on hegemonic masculinities, (b) queering the politics of intimate and platonic relationships, and (c) institutionalized heteronormativity. We argue that BQM experience insidious forms of heteromasculinity, compulsory heterosexuality, and heterogenderism in college. We conclude by offering implications for higher education research, practice, and policy.

Explorations of attitudes towards accessibility and accessing domestic violence and abuse (DVA) perpetrator support programmes by victim-survivors and perpetrators across five European countries

This paper reports on findings from international empirical research that explored victim-survivors and perpetrators’ attitudes towards perpetrator support programmes. Ninety-three questionnaires with female victim-survivors of domestic partner violence and abuse, and 18 interviews with male perpetrators were conducted in five European countries. Results showed that of the 93 victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse, half stated they would have stayed in their relationship with perpetrators if the abuse had stopped, and a similar number reported that they believed their relationships would have been different had there been help for the perpetrator. Analysis of perpetrator interviews showed that they faced barriers to obtaining support, such as being labelled a ‘perpetrator’ which, had they been addressed, may have enhanced their engagement with services. Whilst acknowledging the need for safeguarding and justice, this paper demonstrates the importance of reflecting both victim-survivor and perpetrator needs in order for perpetrators to fully engage with support services. Moreover, it highlighted the need to address the underlying societal issues related to hegemonic masculinity, which can lead to the abuse of women being normalised and the vulnerability of men being stigmatised, through education for young people around healthy relationships.

Dynamics of male makeup artists in Indonesia: navigating entrepreneurship in the middle hegemonic masculinity

PurposeThis paper aims to explore how Indonesian males who are entrepreneurs in make-up artists navigate their businesses in a society that relies on hegemonic masculinity. This goal is reached by concentrating on male make-up artist entrepreneurs in five Indonesian provinces and investigating how they actively rewrite their gender and inherent vocations by societal norms.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts a qualitative phenomenological approach with methods. In-depth interviews and observations were conducted with 28 informants in five provinces of Indonesia.FindingsThese findings show that, aside from self-concept, family support is the most crucial determining factor that pushes men make-up artists to become businesses in the face of so many rejections. Persistence in battling for their fate is also critical in efforts to erase themselves, who are constantly subjected to hegemonic masculinity. Aside from that, it appears that the government's role in attempts to promote gender equality in all fields of business in Indonesia remains limited.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the gender and entrepreneurship literature by providing a broader exploration of male entrepreneurs working in the field of female make-up artists in a society that still adheres to hegemonic masculinity.

Women’s economic underdevelopment in Pakistan: The intersection of gender and female labour force participation

BACKGROUND: Women’s low economic participation in Pakistan and even lower in the formal sector is a perpetual phenomenon leading to their underdevelopment, which has microeconomic and macroeconomic implications. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the nature of women’s work and the intersection of their non-market and market activities at micro, meso, and macro levels which influences women’s chances and choices of decent economic participation. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the interdependence of women’s market and non-market work to explore how gender intersects with their economic autonomy. METHODS: Using qualitative approach, in-depth interviews of 30 purposely selected respondents from the informal sector were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Results indicated that the interdependence of women’s non-market and market work is the outcome of the gendered dichotomy that creates work-life conflict to create women’s economic dependence and male hegemony. Moreover, although a common phenomenon, women from underprivileged backgrounds are more likely to bear the brunt of systemic deprivation leading to economic underdevelopment. CONCLUSIONS: Pakistan’s inherently masculinised society and economy mutually benefit from women’s unpaid and informal work. Facilitated through gender norms, the patriarchal social ideology and the capitalist economic system collaborate to exploit women and their work in both domains.

From Hegemonic to Hybrid and Back? The Context-Adaptive Masculinity of Polish Male Migrants

The article aims to address the complexity of the models of masculinity (re)produced in the transnational context and explain the role of religion in this process. It draws on qualitative research conducted among religiously committed Catholic male migrants from Poland who have settled in multicultural and secular societies: England, Belgium, and Sweden. The transnational context often makes it difficult for migrant men to practice hegemonic masculinity. Our analysis shows how the isomorphic mechanisms allow for (re)constructing new forms of masculinity that combine diverse and often contradictory meanings available in the transnational contexts (i.e., associated with subordinated masculinities or with femininity). Such hybridized version of masculinity not only helps to adapt to the new transnational context but also allows for rebuilding the privileges traditionally offered by hegemonic masculinity. We also discuss the role religion plays in this process by giving credibility to this hybrid masculinity by rooting it in the sacral order and thus legitimizing it.

Masculine enjoyment problematizing subjectification through norm critique as a response to climate change

AbstractThis article problematizes subjectification through the practice of norm critique. The study builds on interviews with some of the key initiators and participants in a project working norm critically with men and masculinity in relation to gender equality and climate change in Sweden. Through the psychoanalytical framework of enjoyment and fantasy, I develop a perspective on how and why a certain understanding of the norm-critical subject emerges. The analysis makes visible how the practice of norm critique, while challenging hegemonic masculine norms such as emotional stoicism, reinforces neoliberal ideals of individualized self-emancipation and the quest for authenticity and wholeness, which risks de-politicizing the issue of climate change.

Liminal Athletes: Abusive Hazing and Masculinities in Homosocial Team sports1

ABSTRACT In this study, we aimed to reveal the dimensions and qualities of violence and abuse in sports through hazing in Turkish sample. We also consider hazing, which involves inhuman and deviant behavior, through masculinities, homosociality, and liminality. We applied qualitative research method with social constructionist and pro-feminist approach. We used in-depth interview and visual painting application technique with a retrospective design. We carried out painting application and interviewed 28 athletes from team branches such as football, basketball, volleyball, rowing, water polo, underwater hockey and American football. We applied content analysis based on thematic coding and revealed 4 themes: 1) “foggy” and “hazy” locker rooms, 2) knowing your place as a rookie, 3) interfering with bodily integrity, 4) “prospective” members on the threshold. We can say that within the masculine culture of sports, liminal athletes can make the teams by experiencing a masculinity that is often subordinated to hegemonic masculinities. In this process, liminal athletes harden because they have been crushed so much; and as they harden, they crush those coming from below.

Hegemonic masculinity and institutional betrayal: an oppressive silencing of the feminist ear in Burkina Faso secondary schools

ABSTRACT This article draws from a qualitative study that examines teachers’ responses to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) in two secondary schools in Burkina Faso. To analyse educators’ responses, we apply the lens of hegemonic masculinity and the concept of institutional betrayal to argue that schools justify the subordination of women and perpetuate SRGBV rather than protect vulnerable individuals. We contend that despite having a strong legal framework and official reporting mechanisms, oppressive systems of gender relations (gender regimes) in secondary schools in Burkina Faso (re)traumatize victims and women teachers, or whistle-blowers. Furthermore, we find that gender regimes in schools function to exploit women teachers’ labour: women teachers are tasked with addressing SRGBV while they simultaneously experience institutional gaslighting and devaluation of their efforts. This research contributes to discussions on how social norms and gendered institutions impact SRGBV policy implementation and teachers’ abilities to make transformative change.

UK survey on experiences of men with non-cancer-related lymphoedema: part one.

This initial article delves into the methodology, methods and theories, while the subsequent article will centre on the discoveries, discussion and conclusion. The study aimed to address the research question: how do men perceive their engagement in the self-management of non-cancer-related lymphoedema? An interpretivist qualitative methodology was employed, utilising an online survey based on the validated lymphoedema quality of life tool (LYMQoL). The data underwent inductive narrative inquiry. The study incorporated theories such as hegemonic masculinity and the health, illness, men and masculinities (HIMM) framework. The findings will be detailed in the second article in this series. This article has delineated the objective, methodologyand methods, employing a qualitative interpretivist approach through narrative inquiry. The study incorporated masculinity theories, including hegemonic masculinity and HIMM. The second article will present the findings and their significance within the broader literature.

Patriarchy, virginity, and hegemonic masculinity in the Turkish film Iffet (1982): a psychoanalytic film review

ABSTRACT The 1980s was marked by the emergence of new cinematic forms in Turkey, including films concerning issues related to various forms of women’s oppression involving sexual objectification, rape, and subordination. Through a close textual analysis, this article discusses how the 1982 film Iffet attempts to create a rape–revenge story, romanticizing sexual aggression against women through hysterization of the protagonist. This study examines the film’s representation of the concepts of patriarchy, honor, virginity, and hegemonic masculinity within Turkey’s socio-political atmosphere in the 1980s. Mulvey’s feminist film theory and Brownmiller’s description of rape myths were used for the analysis.

Representations of gender in conspiracy theories: a corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis

ABSTRACT This paper examines how gender is represented within conspiracy theories by drawing on data from a corpus composed of conspiracy theory documents. It presents an analysis of the collocates of gendered nouns, highlighting the ways that conspiracy theorists use language to reinforce connections between religiosity and masculinity and understandings of femininity that rely on biological gender essentialism. Further, this paper highlights the overlap in values between religious masculinity and hegemonic masculinity that occur within this discourse. It also argues that the ways in which gender is represented in conspiracy theory discourse shares links to far-right ideology, even when the conspiracies in question do not have direct or overt connections to the far-right.

Gentlemen rappers: Masculinity and traditional style in Korean popular music performance

Across its history, K-pop has put traditional Korean elements to a diversity of uses, including in music, dance and visual style. This article investigates the use of traditional elements in the sub-genre of Korean hip hop and rap performance. In this strongly masculine sub-genre, the cultural meanings invoked in the incorporation and remediation of traditional Korean elements take on a more particular generic significance, one that highlights the hegemonic masculinity enjoyed by the referenced figure of the ‘gentleman scholar’ ( seonbi). With this narrower scope of investigation, I argue that the use of traditional cultural elements in Korean popular music can simultaneously function as an element of attraction for global audiences, as has previously been argued, while still maintaining local, genre-specific meanings. In particular, I argue that the gentlemanliness of the ‘gentleman scholar’ comes from and expresses a position of power and privilege.

Slippages in the Application of Hegemonic Masculinity: A Case Study of Incels

Although an important theoretical tool within the field of critical study of men and masculinities, mishandling of Connell’s theory of multiple masculinities and subsequent developments frequently overlooks the relational and legitimizing components central to the hegemonic masculine construct, producing conceptual ‘slippage’. This case study demonstrates such misapplication, examining four investigations within the emerging field of research concerning the antifeminist masculine performances and ideological constructs associated with involuntary celibates (incels). Each study lacks acknowledgement and demonstration of the political mechanics of relational legitimacy that define hegemonic masculinity, producing, instead, trait analyses of non-hegemonic dominant or dominating masculine behaviour resting on fixed, often toxic character types. As novel and emergent communities of men receive scholarly attention, it is important researchers heed repeated attempts to guide correct use of theory by engaging with the history and evolution of employed concepts.

‘I try to do something a bit different’: exploring fathers’ integration of care ethics in everyday family lives

This article draws on ethnographic research to explore how an ethic of care is incorporated into fathers’ everyday family lives. Drawing on feminist conceptualisations of the ‘components of care’, this research investigates how fathers recognise and interpret care needs, as well as observing how such needs are practically attended to. Central to this article is an exploration of the extent to which men’s integration of care ethics can be seen to consolidate ideals of hegemonic masculinity or whether newly emerging forms of caring masculinities are challenging traditional gendered inequalities in care work. Analysis of fathers’ recognition of care needs and what they care ‘about’ implies a masculinised coding, in which traditional masculine values are recast to align with an ethic of care. It is argued that such framings stand to reaffirm hegemonic processes, with caring forms of masculinity representing a new hegemon. However, observations of fathers’ embodied caregiving arguably demonstrate how caring ‘for’ children can challenge traditional ideals of care labour, with men’s bodies recast within an ethic of care. Ultimately, this article contributes nuanced understandings of how men interpret and practise components of care, offering distinctions in the gendered trajectories of caring ‘for’ and caring ‘about’.

"Girl Math, Boy Math": The Presence of Toxic Masculinity in TikTok and X Jargon

Jargon or slang words have become a norm in everyday online discourses and conversations, with a recent emergence of gendered terminology classifying activities and fashion aesthetics into a type of “girl” or “boy”, both heavily popularized thanks to social media. A notable example is seen in the recent rise of gendered-specific jokes called “girl math”, which is a comedy created by women on the justification of impulse shopping. This phenomenon began to give way to its counterpart called “boy math”. Initially, mockery on male behavior began to expand into the areas of critiquing toxic masculinity and misogyny in society as a whole. Through sampling data from accounts that receive high traction from using such terms on the platforms of X and TikTok, the researcher is interested in conducting an intertextual research using the framework of appraisal and feminist theory in order to elucidate the linguistic nuances and cultural influences stored within these gender-specific terms, ultimately unveiling how they critique male hegemony. This research is hoped to contribute to furthering the understanding of how technology, social media, and language intersect, shaping both learning environments and societal perceptions of gender roles.
 Keywords: X, TikTok, appraisal theory, language evaluation, misogyny, toxic masculinity

Emotional stoicism and affective masculinities in Chad Harbach’s The Art of Fielding

ABSTRACT Chad Harbach’s The Art of Fielding (2011) offers a compelling phenomenology of contemporary masculine affect in the story of troubled young white men on a college baseball team who struggle with ‘emotional stoicism’, a term gender scholars use to describe how boys and men are taught to hide feelings and vulnerabilities that Western culture has long associated with girls and women. Harbach’s novel explores the association between masculine ‘stoicism’ and the eponymous philosophy of Stoicism, which developed exercises to extirpate emotions. Harbach finds in the impossible quest for Stoic apatheia an analogy to the similarly futile pursuit of hegemonic masculinities, both fruitlessly following the logic of what Lauren Berlant terms ‘cruel optimism’, a concept that can help vividly illustrate how some Stoic philosophy distorts the affective lives of men. Yet the novel redeems elements of Stoicism, revealing how masculinities that encourage a competitive and controlling orientation toward others fundamentally contradict central Stoic ethical teachings. A re-envisioned, non-sexist Stoicism, the novel implies, might help boys and men to avoid the most harmful manifestations of hegemonic, ‘stoic’ masculinity.

Patriarch Regression in Social Media

Patriarchal culture continues to grow in modernity. Women’s struggles have been applied in various aspects and the digital space has now become a social space to break down the male hegemony. Bourdieu's habitus perspective was applied in this study aiming to see how social media becomes a practice environment for the reaffirmation of women as a class that wants to dispose of the social structures. In this case, virtual ethnographic method was applied from January 2022 to December 2022 to analyze the content of female Instagram users as wives and mothers. Social media has become a field in the habitus process. Field is a social space to produce and distribute meaning from the modern women who have individual, family, and social activities. In habitus process, the production and distribution of meaning is the cultural capital of the social media users. There has been patriarchal regression in social media.

Institutional responses to sexual harassment and misogyny towards women teachers from boys in Australian schools in the post-#metoo era

ABSTRACT Sexual harassment and misogyny are historical experiences of the teaching workforce in Australia. While #metoo promised a moment of reckoning for all girls and women, this reckoning has been less acutely felt in Australian schools, evidenced by a persistence of sexual harassment and misogyny despite progress allegedly made in political and public discourse. In this paper, we draw on data from interviews with 30 women teachers and critically examine their reflections on responses from their school leadership to sexual harassment and misogyny from boys. We demonstrate that school-level responses to misogyny do not reflect broader attitudinal shifts initiated by #metoo, indicating that school leadership largely remains beholden to institutional norms and gender regimes that legitimate and consolidate practices of hegemonic masculinity that subordinate girls and women. We conclude by calling for a renewed focus on addressing cultures of misogyny and sexism in schools at both a policy and classroom level.

Long live the Liver King: right-wing carnivorism and the digital dissemination of primal rhetoric

In this study, we link pertinent concepts from rhetorical studies of the alt-right, animality studies, and conspiracism to explicate the production and dissemination of “carnivore diets” through digital social networks. Taking the ideological and discursive interconnections of animality, hegemonic masculinity, and white nationalism seriously, we conceptualize primal rhetorical networks: a web of influencers and agitators who espouse an ahistorical, carnivorous primal rhetoric concerned with Modern Man's physical and spiritual downfall and his potential for resurrection by consuming nonhuman animals. We utilize a corpus of online texts and social media posts between 2020 and 2023 to perform an ideological rhetorical criticism of two interconnected, online Carnivore Diet gurus: the Liver King and the Raw Egg Nationalist. Drawing upon “conspiritual” tropes and raced/gendered depictions of nonhuman animal consumption, we demonstrate how these networked rhetors “sell” their lifestyles to make a profit and “convert” their followers into an ever-growing network of white nationalist, cisheterosexist, carnivorous ideologues.