Men's research
Men's research is an interdisciplinary science that deals with the topic of men and masculinity . This includes social science , educational , psychological and historical research. Similar to women's research, research takes place primarily in the context of gender studies . However, it has not yet been able to establish itself as an independent discipline in German-speaking countries.
Critical male research
Due to the systematic exclusion of women from universities, research was mostly done by men until the middle of the twentieth century ( androcentrism ), since only men were allowed to participate. In contrast to male-dominated science, the research on men and masculinity that emerged in the 1980s was called critical research on men .
Critical men's research is largely based on an emancipatory , and sometimes also a feminist, approach. In other words, she questions existing role models and shares central concepts that are based on feminist approaches in women's and gender studies and develops them further for her own purposes.
Within Critical Men's Studies, however, it is controversial how it relates to feminist women's and gender studies. In the beginning there were prominent statements by profeminist male researchers who postulated a subordination or subordination of male research. Others saw and see critical research on men as an important complement to feminist research on women, which may also have to deal critically with the blind spots .
Principles of Critical Male Research according to Jeff Hearn
In 1987, in the magazine of the English men's movement "Achilles Heel", Jeff Hearn developed five principles that should be used for future critical research on men:
- Men should respect the autonomy of women's research , which is not to say, conversely, demanding autonomy in men's research.
- Men's research should be open to women and men.
- The primary goal of men's research is to develop a critique of male practice, at least in part from a feminist perspective.
- Men's research is to be designed on an interdisciplinary basis .
- Men who do research on men must question their research, learning, teaching and theorizing practices in order not to reproduce the patriarchal form of disinterested positivism . The aim is to increase the awareness of men.
In 1990 Jeff Hearn and David Morgan added to these principles in “ The critique of men ” the points that (heterosexual) men should not apply for research funding and university positions advertised for gender studies, and that feminist science and women's studies in the own research and in the institutions.
These profeminist principles were also adopted by parts of early German men's research in the 1990s, but were critically discussed by others.
Critical men's research according to Raewyn Connell
The Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell takes the position that different masculinity have existed side by side since early modern times . Connell defines masculinity as a practice , by which she understands more than the concept of role theory , which she criticizes. She tries to work out masculinity as a dominant relationship among men, towards women and in connection with other conditions of oppression. In addition, it determines the historical change in the prevailing masculinity as conditioned by the respective production relationship in society. What all masculinity has in common is the “ patriarchal dividend ”, that is, the profit that men receive in a patriarchal society.
Connell distinguishes between hegemonic masculinity and three forms of non- hegemonic masculinity:
- marginalized masculinity
- accomplice-like masculinity
- subordinate masculinity
Hegemonic masculinity is not a characteristic of an individual person, but rather a dominant cultural ideal in a particular social and historical context of what a “real man” is. Hegemonic masculinity structures the relationships between women and men as well as those between men, for example by devaluing and marginalizing other forms of masculinity. She is the masculinity that is most effective in maintaining patriarchy . This sexual hegemony usually takes place with the consent and cooperation of those who are ruled. Connell adopted the term hegemony in this regard from the Marxist Gramsci . A historically early type that Connell identified as hegemonic masculinity was the conquistador , who embodied masculinity and dominance on the “frontline”. This masculinity form was replaced by the " gentry masculinity " (the upper middle class, for example George Washington). Today the representatives of hegemonic masculinity can be found in the Federal Republic of Germany, for example in management (Ralf Lange) and in "research and technology policy " (Peter Döge).
Marginalized masculinity , according to Connell, is a member of non-dominant classes and ethnic groups. In Germany, for example, workers or certain men with a migration background cannot show any hegemonic masculinity because they either have the “wrong” class or the “wrong” ethnicity ( intersectional male research examines multiple disadvantages of men who have both attributes ). Under complicit masculinity Connell understands the masculinity of such men who can not embody the cherish nominal masculinity, but this support so that they benefit from it. According to Connell, subordinate masculinity is for example gay or transgender masculinity designs.
subjects
- Gender roles
- Personality development
- Upbringing and education of boys
See also
List of well-known men and women researchers
literature
- Lothar Böhnisch : Male Socialization. An Introduction , Beltz Juventa, 2nd revised edition 2013, ISBN 978-3779923060
- Lothar Böhnisch: Men's research: development, topics, status of the discussion . In: From Politics and Contemporary History . No. 40 , September 24, 2012 ( online ).
- Mechthild Bereswill , Michael Meuser, Sylka Scholz (eds.): Dimensions of the gender category: the case of masculinity. Westphalian steam boat, Münster 2007, ISBN 978-3-89691-222-0 .
- Brigitte Aulenbacher (Hrsg.): Women and men gender research. State of Art. Westphalian steam boat, Münster 2006, ISBN 978-3-89691-220-6 .
- Pierre Bourdieu : The male rule , Frankfurt a. M. 2005, ISBN 3-518-58435-9 .
- Robert W. Connell ( Raewyn Connell ): The man made. Construction and crisis of masculinity , Opladen 1999, ISBN 3-8100-1805-8 .
- Peter Döge , Michael Meuser (Ed.): Masculinity and social order. Recent contributions to gender research Opladen 2001, ISBN 3-8100-3036-8 .
- Martin Fischer: Male power and male suffering. Critical theological research on men in the context of gender-perspective theology as a contribution to gender equality (Edition Ethik 2), Göttingen: Edition Ruprecht 2008, ISBN 3767571226
- David D. Gilmore (1990): Manhood in the Making. Cultural Concepts of Masculinity. New Haven: Yale University Press.
- Michael S. Kimmel and Jeff Hearn (Eds.) (2004): Handbook of Studies on Men & Masculinities. Thousand Oaks / London / New Delhi: Sage.
- Hans-Joachim Lenz : Between Men's Studies and Male Injury Openness - On the Brief History of Men's Studies in Germany . In: Freiburg Gender Studies , Volume 21, 2007
- Dieter Schnack , Rainer Neutzling : Little heroes in need - boys in search of masculinity. Reinbek 1990. ISBN 3-499-18257-2 (3rd revised edition from February 2011)
- Klaus Theweleit ([1977/78] 2000): Male fantasies. Vol. 1–2, Munich / Zurich: Piper.
- Toni Tholen , Jennifer Clare (Ed.): Literary masculinity and emotions , Heidelberg 2013.
- Toni Tholen : Loss of closeness. Reflection on masculinity in literature , Heidelberg 2005, ISBN 3-8253-5073-8 .
- Marie-Theres Wacker and Stefanie Rieger-Goertz (eds.) (2006): 'Mannsbilder. Discussion of critical research on men and theological research on women. ' Münster: LIT.
- Paul M. Zulehner , Rainer Volz : Men on the move. How Germany's men see themselves and how women see them. A research report. Ostfildern 1998, ISBN 3-7966-0938-4 .
- Walter Hollstein : What was left of the man. Crisis and Future of the Stronger Sex. Structure Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-351-02659-2 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Cf. BauSsteine Männer, Kritische Männerforschung: New approaches in the gender theory, Hamburg 1996
- ↑ Michael Meuser: Theory: Gender and masculinity in sociological discourse . In: Gender and Masculinity . 3rd edition, VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden 2010, pp. 17-134, doi: 10.1007 / 978-3-531-92046-7 2 .
- ^ Michael Tunç: Research on masculinity and intersectionality. In: www.portal-intersektionalitaet.de. Retrieved December 16, 2016 . Pp. 2-7, 15-16.
Web links
- “More than just a point of view.” History of men's studies from the point of view of adult education
- XY Online (online magazine)
- The Journal of Men's studies (Engl. Journal)
- Men and Masculinities (English trade journal)
- Work Changes Gender - Men and Equality in the Transition of Labor Forms. EU research on men and gainful employment (2001-2004)