Men and climate change: some thoughts on South Africa and Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

This article highlights the impacts of climate change on men from two countries from the Global South, namely Bangladesh and South Africa, as we reflect on climate change as a major consideration in work on the un/making of dominant and marginal masculinities. Climate change has a gender face, showing differential hazards for men and women linked to the structures of gender in society. A limited range of discourses about the impacts of climate change on men is however evident in the literature when attention is paid to masculinity and climate change, with much of the literature focused on women. In this paper, we draw attention to men and issues related to masculinities in the context of climate change discussions related to these two countries. The paper points to several climate-induced impediments such as drought, floods, salinity, lightning, high temperatures that challenge the fulfilment of men’s socially prescribed roles and responsibilities.

KEYWORDS:

• Men
• masculinity
• marginality
• climate change
• global south
• marginality
• Bangladesh
• South Africa

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anisur Rahman Khan

Anisur Rahman Khan is an associate professor of Sociology, East West University, Bangladesh. His research interests include sociology of suicide, men and masculinity, and violence against men.

Kopano Ratele

Kopano Ratele is head of Centre for Critical and Creative Thought and professor of Psychology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Isaac Dery

Isaac Dery is a lecturer and researcher at the SD Dombo University, Ghana. His research focuses on critical understanding of masculinities, violence and cultural transformation.

Shahriar Khandaker

Shahriar Khandaker is a communication graduate, currently pursuing his counseling qualification with Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. Professionally, he worked as a Senior Lecturer at East West University, Bangladesh. His research interests focus on masculinity studies, public administration and behavioral health communication.