Towards African-centred theories of masculinity

ABSTRACT

Research on men and masculinities in South Africa, and the related intervention programmes, depends largely on theories of gender developed in the Global North. Such theories define masculinity as socially constructed and accomplished relationally in social action. Masculinity does not have an “inner essence.” This article argues that Northern gender theories offer inadequate accounts of African masculinities because of their being embedded in western epistemologies. In order to account fully for the complex lives of African men, scholars need to develop theories of masculinity based on African conceptions of reality. Such theories should treat masculinity as both socially constructed and as being influenced by unseen elements of personhood, as encapsulated in traditional African thoughts. To illustrate these ideas, the author uses anthropological and philosophical literature on African concepts of personhood, together with examples taken from personal experiences and observations.

KEYWORDS:

• Masculinity
• African personhood
• gender theory
• Global South
• masculine transformation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. I use the term here to refer to a system of thought that has some origin or association with Europe.

2. See Comaroff and Comaroff (2012) for a critique of this idea of autonomous individuals; arguing that autonomous individuals do not exist anywhere in the world as human beings exist within existing social relations.

3. See Morrell and Clowes (2016) for a constructive rebut of this statement.

4. See Connell (2016) for a recent update of gender theory which pays attention to historical embodiment.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sakhumzi Mfecane

Sakhumzi Mfecane is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. His research interests include, men’s health, masculinity, and HIV and AIDS.