* Are all men the same?* What do men want?* What makes a ''real man''?During the past decade, questions such as these have been raised across social and cultural arenas in local and global contexts. In response, this lively and engaging book adopts an international perspective and meets the current need for a comprehensive introduction to contemporary debates about men and masculinity. Through a broad critical review of masculinity studies, the book provides an original synthesis of main theories, key concepts and empirical research. Designed to provide an up-to-date guide to the field, it combines the traditional sociological enquiry into the family, work and education with contemporary concerns about multiple identities, globalization and late modernity. Written in a clear and engaging style, this text is essential reading for those studying men and masculinities across sociology, gender/sexuality studies, cultural studies, and politics, as well as anyone with a wider interest in the future of gender relations.

Across media, academy and popular culture in western societies there is much talk of an implosion of the modern gender order. Education is often presented as a key site in which a crisis of masculinity is played out, and schools have become a focus for practical attempts to reconcile social and cultural transformations through the recalibration of teaching and learning, increasing male teachers and masculinising the content of subjects.

Education and Masculinities argues that we are experiencing a shift from the establishment of the social constitution of gender associated with modernity politics, to the gendering of society that has an intensified resonance among men and women in a global-based late modernity. The book explores the main social and cultural approaches to education and masculinities within the broader context of sex and gender relations, considering the masculinity question alongside local and global changes in society, and bringing a fresh evaluation of key issues.

Included in the book:

-how the suggestion of ‘academically successful girls’ and ‘failing boys’ plays out in relation to issues of inequality across class and ethnicity

-a current empirical analyses of gender inequality across schools, higher education and the labour market

-representation, identity and cultural difference with reference to male and female social experiences and cultural meanings

-forms of power connected to social divisions and cultural differences.

Education and Masculinities provides a critical yet constructive diagnosis of gender relations across educational sites, exploring both academic accounts and alternative global responses that illustrate the limits of Western models and sensibilities.This accessible book will be valuable reading for students following courses in education, sociology, gender studies, and other social sciences and humanities courses.

Across media, academy and popular culture in western societies there is much talk of an implosion of the modern gender order. Education is often presented as a key site in which a crisis of masculinity is played out, and schools have become a focus for practical attempts to reconcile social and cultural transformations through the recalibration of teaching and learning, increasing male teachers and masculinising the content of subjects.

Education and Masculinities argues that we are experiencing a shift from the establishment of the social constitution of gender associated with modernity politics, to the gendering of society that has an intensified resonance among men and women in a global-based late modernity. The book explores the main social and cultural approaches to education and masculinities within the broader context of sex and gender relations, considering the masculinity question alongside local and global changes in society, and bringing a fresh evaluation of key issues.

Included in the book:

-how the suggestion of ‘academically successful girls’ and ‘failing boys’ plays out in relation to issues of inequality across class and ethnicity

-a current empirical analyses of gender inequality across schools, higher education and the labour market

-representation, identity and cultural difference with reference to male and female social experiences and cultural meanings

-forms of power connected to social divisions and cultural differences.

Education and Masculinities provides a critical yet constructive diagnosis of gender relations across educational sites, exploring both academic accounts and alternative global responses that illustrate the limits of Western models and sensibilities.This accessible book will be valuable reading for students following courses in education, sociology, gender studies, and other social sciences and humanities courses.

This book provides a fresh and contemporary take on the study of men and masculinity. It highlights new and exciting approaches to sexuality, desire, men and masculinity in East Asian contexts, focusing on the interconnections between them. In doing so, it re-examines the key concepts that underpin studies of masculinity, such as homophobia, homosociality and heteronormativity. Developing new ways of thinking about masculinity in local contexts, it fills a significant lacuna in contemporary scholarship. This thought-provoking work will appeal to students and scholars of gender studies, cultural studies and the wider social sciences. 

Popular culture is awash with discussions about the difficulties associated with being a man. Television talk shows, media articles and government press releases discuss not simply the problem of men, but have more recently focused on the problems of being a man.

The Conundrum of Masculinity challenges highly advertised beliefs that men are in crisis and struggling to hold onto traditional masculine habits whilst the world around them changes. Indeed, whilst there is a range of valuable contributions to the field that examine how men live out their lives in different contexts, there are few accounts that examine in detail the building blocks of masculinity or how men are really ‘put together’. Thus, this innovative and timely volume seeks to provide a systematic exploration of the different aspects of masculinity – in particular hegemony, homosociality, homophobia and heteronormativity.

An original approach to the field of masculinity studies, this book ultimately presents a critical synthesis that brings together disparate approaches to provide a clear and concise discussion to address the true nature of masculinity. The Conundrum of Masculinity will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in fields such as Gender Studies, Masculinity Studies and Sociology.

Popular culture is awash with discussions about the difficulties associated with being a man. Television talk shows, media articles and government press releases discuss not simply the problem of men, but have more recently focused on the problems of being a man.

The Conundrum of Masculinity challenges highly advertised beliefs that men are in crisis and struggling to hold onto traditional masculine habits whilst the world around them changes. Indeed, whilst there is a range of valuable contributions to the field that examine how men live out their lives in different contexts, there are few accounts that examine in detail the building blocks of masculinity or how men are really ‘put together’. Thus, this innovative and timely volume seeks to provide a systematic exploration of the different aspects of masculinity – in particular hegemony, homosociality, homophobia and heteronormativity.

An original approach to the field of masculinity studies, this book ultimately presents a critical synthesis that brings together disparate approaches to provide a clear and concise discussion to address the true nature of masculinity. The Conundrum of Masculinity will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in fields such as Gender Studies, Masculinity Studies and Sociology.

Across Europe we are witnessing a series of events that are drawing upon representations of men and masculinity that are rupturing the social fabric of everyday life. For example, media reports of social unrest, misogynous hate crime, religious extremism, drug trafficking and political Far Right mobilization often have been at the centre of the discussion the figure of the apathetic, disenchanted, socially excluded young man.

Marginalized Masculinities explores how men in precarious positions in different countries and social contexts understand and experience their masculinities, focusing on men who are viewed as being marginal in a range of fields in society including the family, work, the media and school. By focusing on atypical or marginal masculinities in each subfield, Haywood and Johansson provide an informed understanding of what it means to experience marginalization. Indeed, within this enlightening volume the chapters engage with the issue of whether it is necessary to name ‘a’ dominant masculinity in order to make sense of and understand the nature of marginalized masculinity.

This insightful title will be of interest to researchers, undergraduates and postgraduates interested in fields such as Gender Studies, International Studies, Comparative Studies and Men Studies.

Across Europe we are witnessing a series of events that are drawing upon representations of men and masculinity that are rupturing the social fabric of everyday life. For example, media reports of social unrest, misogynous hate crime, religious extremism, drug trafficking and political Far Right mobilization often have been at the centre of the discussion the figure of the apathetic, disenchanted, socially excluded young man.

Marginalized Masculinities explores how men in precarious positions in different countries and social contexts understand and experience their masculinities, focusing on men who are viewed as being marginal in a range of fields in society including the family, work, the media and school. By focusing on atypical or marginal masculinities in each subfield, Haywood and Johansson provide an informed understanding of what it means to experience marginalization. Indeed, within this enlightening volume the chapters engage with the issue of whether it is necessary to name ‘a’ dominant masculinity in order to make sense of and understand the nature of marginalized masculinity.

This insightful title will be of interest to researchers, undergraduates and postgraduates interested in fields such as Gender Studies, International Studies, Comparative Studies and Men Studies.

This book explores the hidden world of sex clubs. These are not strip clubs, lap dancing clubs, or brothels; these are clubs that men and women visit to have no strings attached sex. Each year sex clubs, traditionally called swingers clubs, are visited by over one million people in the UK. Using social and cultural theory, the author explores the cultures of desire through themes such as erotic hierarchies, atmospheres and power, women and sexual fantasies, men, masculinity and non-consent, hypersexualized black bodies, heterosexuality and queer heteroeroticism and trans desires. From cuckolding to group sex, bareback sex to intergenerational sex, partner swapping and threesomes to BDSM and fetish nights, sex clubs host a diverse range of sexual encounters that are part of a growing trend of recreational sex.  Despite there being over 40 clubs in the UK alone, we continue to know very little about who is visiting the club, why they go there and what people do. 

Thisbook—drawing upon ethnographies, interviews and large-scale quantitative data—is one of the first in the field to systematically collect and critically interrogate sex clubs and their erotic encounters. This will not only be the first sustained social and cultural analysis of sex clubs themselves, but it also aims to lure the reader into the club through discussions of ethnographic encounters, enabling them to experience the unique dynamics of sex clubs and their cultures of desire.

* Are all men the same?* What do men want?* What makes a ''real man''?During the past decade, questions such as these have been raised across social and cultural arenas in local and global contexts. In response, this lively and engaging book adopts an international perspective and meets the current need for a comprehensive introduction to contemporary debates about men and masculinity. Through a broad critical review of masculinity studies, the book provides an original synthesis of main theories, key concepts and empirical research. Designed to provide an up-to-date guide to the field, it combines the traditional sociological enquiry into the family, work and education with contemporary concerns about multiple identities, globalization and late modernity. Written in a clear and engaging style, this text is essential reading for those studying men and masculinities across sociology, gender/sexuality studies, cultural studies, and politics, as well as anyone with a wider interest in the future of gender relations.

Across media, academy and popular culture in western societies there is much talk of an implosion of the modern gender order. Education is often presented as a key site in which a crisis of masculinity is played out, and schools have become a focus for practical attempts to reconcile social and cultural transformations through the recalibration of teaching and learning, increasing male teachers and masculinising the content of subjects.

Education and Masculinities argues that we are experiencing a shift from the establishment of the social constitution of gender associated with modernity politics, to the gendering of society that has an intensified resonance among men and women in a global-based late modernity. The book explores the main social and cultural approaches to education and masculinities within the broader context of sex and gender relations, considering the masculinity question alongside local and global changes in society, and bringing a fresh evaluation of key issues.

Included in the book:

-how the suggestion of ‘academically successful girls’ and ‘failing boys’ plays out in relation to issues of inequality across class and ethnicity

-a current empirical analyses of gender inequality across schools, higher education and the labour market

-representation, identity and cultural difference with reference to male and female social experiences and cultural meanings

-forms of power connected to social divisions and cultural differences.

Education and Masculinities provides a critical yet constructive diagnosis of gender relations across educational sites, exploring both academic accounts and alternative global responses that illustrate the limits of Western models and sensibilities.This accessible book will be valuable reading for students following courses in education, sociology, gender studies, and other social sciences and humanities courses.

Across media, academy and popular culture in western societies there is much talk of an implosion of the modern gender order. Education is often presented as a key site in which a crisis of masculinity is played out, and schools have become a focus for practical attempts to reconcile social and cultural transformations through the recalibration of teaching and learning, increasing male teachers and masculinising the content of subjects.

Education and Masculinities argues that we are experiencing a shift from the establishment of the social constitution of gender associated with modernity politics, to the gendering of society that has an intensified resonance among men and women in a global-based late modernity. The book explores the main social and cultural approaches to education and masculinities within the broader context of sex and gender relations, considering the masculinity question alongside local and global changes in society, and bringing a fresh evaluation of key issues.

Included in the book:

-how the suggestion of ‘academically successful girls’ and ‘failing boys’ plays out in relation to issues of inequality across class and ethnicity

-a current empirical analyses of gender inequality across schools, higher education and the labour market

-representation, identity and cultural difference with reference to male and female social experiences and cultural meanings

-forms of power connected to social divisions and cultural differences.

Education and Masculinities provides a critical yet constructive diagnosis of gender relations across educational sites, exploring both academic accounts and alternative global responses that illustrate the limits of Western models and sensibilities.This accessible book will be valuable reading for students following courses in education, sociology, gender studies, and other social sciences and humanities courses.

This book provides a fresh and contemporary take on the study of men and masculinity. It highlights new and exciting approaches to sexuality, desire, men and masculinity in East Asian contexts, focusing on the interconnections between them. In doing so, it re-examines the key concepts that underpin studies of masculinity, such as homophobia, homosociality and heteronormativity. Developing new ways of thinking about masculinity in local contexts, it fills a significant lacuna in contemporary scholarship. This thought-provoking work will appeal to students and scholars of gender studies, cultural studies and the wider social sciences. 

Popular culture is awash with discussions about the difficulties associated with being a man. Television talk shows, media articles and government press releases discuss not simply the problem of men, but have more recently focused on the problems of being a man.

The Conundrum of Masculinity challenges highly advertised beliefs that men are in crisis and struggling to hold onto traditional masculine habits whilst the world around them changes. Indeed, whilst there is a range of valuable contributions to the field that examine how men live out their lives in different contexts, there are few accounts that examine in detail the building blocks of masculinity or how men are really ‘put together’. Thus, this innovative and timely volume seeks to provide a systematic exploration of the different aspects of masculinity – in particular hegemony, homosociality, homophobia and heteronormativity.

An original approach to the field of masculinity studies, this book ultimately presents a critical synthesis that brings together disparate approaches to provide a clear and concise discussion to address the true nature of masculinity. The Conundrum of Masculinity will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in fields such as Gender Studies, Masculinity Studies and Sociology.

Popular culture is awash with discussions about the difficulties associated with being a man. Television talk shows, media articles and government press releases discuss not simply the problem of men, but have more recently focused on the problems of being a man.

The Conundrum of Masculinity challenges highly advertised beliefs that men are in crisis and struggling to hold onto traditional masculine habits whilst the world around them changes. Indeed, whilst there is a range of valuable contributions to the field that examine how men live out their lives in different contexts, there are few accounts that examine in detail the building blocks of masculinity or how men are really ‘put together’. Thus, this innovative and timely volume seeks to provide a systematic exploration of the different aspects of masculinity – in particular hegemony, homosociality, homophobia and heteronormativity.

An original approach to the field of masculinity studies, this book ultimately presents a critical synthesis that brings together disparate approaches to provide a clear and concise discussion to address the true nature of masculinity. The Conundrum of Masculinity will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in fields such as Gender Studies, Masculinity Studies and Sociology.

Across Europe we are witnessing a series of events that are drawing upon representations of men and masculinity that are rupturing the social fabric of everyday life. For example, media reports of social unrest, misogynous hate crime, religious extremism, drug trafficking and political Far Right mobilization often have been at the centre of the discussion the figure of the apathetic, disenchanted, socially excluded young man.

Marginalized Masculinities explores how men in precarious positions in different countries and social contexts understand and experience their masculinities, focusing on men who are viewed as being marginal in a range of fields in society including the family, work, the media and school. By focusing on atypical or marginal masculinities in each subfield, Haywood and Johansson provide an informed understanding of what it means to experience marginalization. Indeed, within this enlightening volume the chapters engage with the issue of whether it is necessary to name ‘a’ dominant masculinity in order to make sense of and understand the nature of marginalized masculinity.

This insightful title will be of interest to researchers, undergraduates and postgraduates interested in fields such as Gender Studies, International Studies, Comparative Studies and Men Studies.

Across Europe we are witnessing a series of events that are drawing upon representations of men and masculinity that are rupturing the social fabric of everyday life. For example, media reports of social unrest, misogynous hate crime, religious extremism, drug trafficking and political Far Right mobilization often have been at the centre of the discussion the figure of the apathetic, disenchanted, socially excluded young man.

Marginalized Masculinities explores how men in precarious positions in different countries and social contexts understand and experience their masculinities, focusing on men who are viewed as being marginal in a range of fields in society including the family, work, the media and school. By focusing on atypical or marginal masculinities in each subfield, Haywood and Johansson provide an informed understanding of what it means to experience marginalization. Indeed, within this enlightening volume the chapters engage with the issue of whether it is necessary to name ‘a’ dominant masculinity in order to make sense of and understand the nature of marginalized masculinity.

This insightful title will be of interest to researchers, undergraduates and postgraduates interested in fields such as Gender Studies, International Studies, Comparative Studies and Men Studies.

This book explores the hidden world of sex clubs. These are not strip clubs, lap dancing clubs, or brothels; these are clubs that men and women visit to have no strings attached sex. Each year sex clubs, traditionally called swingers clubs, are visited by over one million people in the UK. Using social and cultural theory, the author explores the cultures of desire through themes such as erotic hierarchies, atmospheres and power, women and sexual fantasies, men, masculinity and non-consent, hypersexualized black bodies, heterosexuality and queer heteroeroticism and trans desires. From cuckolding to group sex, bareback sex to intergenerational sex, partner swapping and threesomes to BDSM and fetish nights, sex clubs host a diverse range of sexual encounters that are part of a growing trend of recreational sex.  Despite there being over 40 clubs in the UK alone, we continue to know very little about who is visiting the club, why they go there and what people do. 

Thisbook—drawing upon ethnographies, interviews and large-scale quantitative data—is one of the first in the field to systematically collect and critically interrogate sex clubs and their erotic encounters. This will not only be the first sustained social and cultural analysis of sex clubs themselves, but it also aims to lure the reader into the club through discussions of ethnographic encounters, enabling them to experience the unique dynamics of sex clubs and their cultures of desire.