‘What's next for masculinity?’ Reflexive directions for theory and research on masculinity and education

Abstract

Research on masculinity has become an important area of gender and education that includes a wide range of empirical concerns and theoretical approaches. This article identifies a number of studies that are asking questions about the conceptual usefulness of masculinity within educational contexts. The first section explores how educational researchers are beginning to suggest alternative ways that hegemonic masculinity may be configured. The second section draws upon work that interrogates the disconnection of gender from sex. Such work considers the importance of understanding schooling worlds through an untethering of gender categories from physical bodies. The third section suggests the possibility of a post-masculinity position by exploring research that questions the viability of masculinity as a conceptual frame to understand gender. In conclusion, the paper argues that such developments can be used heuristically to inform the critical reflexiveness of future research in the area.

Keywords:

• gender
• masculinity studies
• queer theory
• post-masculinity

Notes

Connell has maintained a critical engagement with her original concept of hegemony and the way it has been taken up by others (Connell and Messerschmidt 2005).

Special thanks to second reviewer for pointing this out.