Men and Masculinities in Modern Britain: A History for the Present

Men and masculinities provides an engaging and accessible introduction to the histories of masculinity, offering a critical overview of ongoing debates and the historical making of mens lives and identities. It argues for the importance of present-centred and politically engaged histories, engaging with debates about mens social position and the status of masculinity in contemporary public life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 332 pages
Publication date: 16 January 2024
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Men and masculinities is an engaging, accessible, and thought-provoking introduction to the histories of masculinity for all readers interested in contemporary gender politics. The book provides a critical overview of ongoing historiographical debates and the historical creation of men's lives, identities, and ideas of masculinity between the 1890s and the present day. In setting out a new agenda for the field, it makes an ambitious argument for the importance of writing histories that are present-centered and politically engaged. This means that the book engages head-on with ferocious debates about men's social position and the status of masculinity in contemporary public life. In establishing a critical genealogy for the proliferation of this crisis talk, it sets out new ways of understanding how men's lives and ideas of masculinity have changed over time while patriarchy and male power have persisted.

The book explores the complex and multifaceted nature of masculinity, examining how it has been shaped by historical, social, cultural, and economic factors. It challenges traditional notions of masculinity and explores new ways of understanding and defining it. The book also examines the relationship between masculinity and power, exploring how men have used and abused their power over women and other men.

One of the key themes of the book is the impact of globalization on masculinity. It argues that the globalizing forces of capitalism, consumerism, and technology have created new forms of masculinity that are often contradictory and unstable. The book explores how these new forms of masculinity are being reproduced and reinforced in various cultural contexts, including the media, popular culture, and the workplace.

Another important theme of the book is the role of men in the fight for gender equality. It argues that men must be actively involved in the struggle for gender equality if we are to create a more just and equitable society. The book provides examples of men who have been leaders in the fight for gender equality, including activists, politicians, and scholars.

Men and masculinities is a valuable resource for students, scholars, and activists interested in gender politics, history, and social change. It provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the past and present of masculinity and offers new insights into the challenges and opportunities facing men and women in the 21st century.

Weight: 642g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526174697