The Problem of Masculinity: From Campus to the Whitehouse

Undergraduate / Graduate

What does it mean to "be a man" or "be a real man"? Are masculine ideals a form of "gender ideology"? How does "manliness" affect the individuals circumscribed by it? How does masculinity affect non-men? How does masculinity affect the dynamics of power - political, economic, institutional, and personal? How does masculinity differ cross-culturally? This course will examine what masculinity is and its affects upon contemporary society, paying particular attention to the disputed norms of contemporary American masculinity. We will look at masculinity from an anthropological perspective - as a cultural construct worthy of study, analysis, and critique. Intended for undergraduates and masters students.