Young men, public space and the production of fear in downtown Adelaide

Abstract

This article considers the interconnection between certain spaces and ‘fear-inducing’ masculine gender performances. Particularly, it looks at the night-time use of downtown spaces by young men, reconsidering existing theory and developing new methodology to examine how and why young men use specific areas to engage in aggressive, hyper-masculine gender performances. By considering issues of space and gender alongside use of new media, this article suggests a method of investigating the production of fear by reviewing the cultural and spatial literacies of those who reputedly produce it.

Keywords:

• youth
• space
• masculinities
• gender
• cities