The continuing significance of masculinity

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Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 Some of my research includes the role of masculinity and masculinism in politics (Nagel 2011), the military-sexual complex (Nagel 2003, 2014), climate change (Nagel 2012, 2015), science (Nagel 2016, 2017a), and museums (Nagel 2017b).

2 By “masculinism”, I refer to the set of beliefs and practices which support men’s dominance over women and social life. Masculinism is sometimes referred to as “hegemonic masculinity” (Connell and Messerschmidt 2005). Although there are variations in hegemonic masculinities historically around the world, they share many common features besides the domination of women, denigration of subordinate men, and control over important social, economic, political, and cultural resources; these common features include such manly characteristics such as courage, strength, competitiveness, violence, sangfroid, and heterosexual virility.

3 “Masculinity” and “femininity”, like “men” and “women”, can be slippery concepts. Any discussion of masculine and feminine traits and cultures is open to charges of simplistic essentialism, and there are exceptions to any rule. That said, research on gendered decision-making styles in organizations consistently finds that women are more likely to be inclusive, consultative, collaborative, and fair-minded than their male counterparts; and researchers report that since more women than men serve as primary caregivers to children, elderly, and family members and are more likely to work in caregiving occupations such as teaching and nursing, they tend to have greater sensitivity to issues of social vulnerability and social justice (Luckerath-Rovers 2010; Carter and Wagner 2011; Buckingham, Reeves, and Batchelor 2005; Volden, Wiseman, and Wittmer 2013; Bart and McQueen 2013; Woolley et al. 2010).