Masculinity Lessons

Masculinity, as both performed and studied, continues to be a particularly productive site for understanding cultural dynamics. Contemporary work within women's and gender studies programs recognizes that potential, regularly exploring masculine, bisexual, and transgendered subjectivities in the classroom and in scholarship. This collection of essays on masculinity offers a unique perspective on the topic by featuring articles ranging from early work in biological science and gender behavior to contemporary sociocultural readings of feminist pedagogy, gender violence, and global masculinities.The anthology provides specific insight into critical conversations on masculinity as they unfold over time and in the pages of Feminist Formations (formerly National Women's Studies Association Journal). Structured around highly readable essays on a wide range of topics and disciplines, it provides a basic introduction to the question of masculinity before moving on to studies of masculinity, science, and the body. The volume closes with two sections that discuss performing masculinity in global and domestic contexts. Designed with classroom use in mind, Masculinity Lessons encourages professors and students to approach the subject in a variety of thoughtful and exciting ways. Courses from across the academic spectrum engage with issues of gender, and this volume offers a survey of masculinity as it relates to a number of diverse subject areas, including biology, film, literature, economics, and political science. As such, the book is ideal as both a primary text in women's and gender studies courses and as a reference for faculty and students outside the discipline applying gender issues to their teaching and research.