Teaching Resources

For many years the relationship between feminism and the study of men and masculinities has been shifting. Recently, scholars across many disciplines have renewed attention to the topic. Consider using some of the following resources in courses examining gender.

Scholarly Journals

The Men’s Studies Press was founded in 1992 and publishes many of the most recognized journals on men and masculinity. Among the publisher’s titles are: The Journal of Men’s Studies; Fathering: A Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice about Men as Fathers; and THYMOS: Journal of Boyhood Studies. Each journal is interdisciplinary, includes a variety of methodological approaches, and focuses on critical scholarship.

The American Psychological Association publishes Psychology of Men & Masculinity. According to the editorial board, this quarterly journal focuses on “how boys’ and men’s psychology is influenced and shaped by both sex and gender, and encompasses both the study of biological sex differences and similarities as well as of the social construction of gender.” You can find more information at <http://www.apa.org/journals/men/description.html>.

In 1998, Men and Masculinities began disseminating multi-disciplinary research that, according to the publisher, explored “the evolving roles and perceptions of men across society.” Now edited by Michael Kimmel and published by Sage, the journal is grounded in sociology but invites submissions from many disciplines. <http://www.sagepub.com/journalsProd-Desc.nav?prodId=Journal200971>

Organizations

According to The American Men’s Studies Association, men’s studies includes “scholarly, clinical, and activist endeavors engaging men and masculinities as social-historical- cultural constructions reflexively embedded in the material and bodily realities of men’s and women’s lives.” One of the leading groups in the emerging field, the organization supports and works to develop “teaching, research, and clinical practice” on masculinity. <http://mensstudies.org/?page_id=2>

The National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS) has worked to reduce the effects of sexism and racism for more than thirty years. Because the group has given significant attention to ending gender-based violence, NOMAS’s website includes a wealth of resources on the topic, including scholarly citations, links to organizations, and essays written by recognized researchers. NOMAS also circulates a newsletter, Brother, and produced a video anthology on masculinity. <http://www.nomas.org>

The Kinsey Institute, long respected for its research on human sexuality, continues to build knowledge about men and masculinity. Based at Indiana University, the organization is currently conducting a study about heterosexual men’s decision-making and communication about sexual interactions. Members of the public can participate in the studies by visiting the Kinsey website and filling out online surveys <http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/research/surveylinks.html>.

Books

One of the field-defining books, the Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities, was published by Sage in 2005. Edited by Michael Kimmel, Jeff Hearn, and Robert Connell, the volume examines the formation and expression of masculinity on both institutional and individual levels.

Jackson Katz, well-known for his video Tough Guise: Violence, Media, and the Crisis in Masculinity (Media Education Foundation, 1999) and his involvement in Mentors in Violence Prevention, wrote a provocative book, The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help (Sourcebooks, 2006). Katz frames sexual violence as an issue that affects every member of society and calls upon men to take an active role in ending men’s violence.

In Transforming Masculinities: Men, Cultures, Bodies, Power, Sex and Love (Routledge, 2005), Victor Seidler develops a framework for understanding masculinity and power through diverse cultural lenses. A sociologist, Seidler has published extensively on men and masculinity.

For a comprehensive database of books and other resources, consult The Men’s Bibliography. The site includes a searchable database and a variety of publications organized by category. <http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/>

Call For Teaching Notes for Feminist Teacher

Do you have a teaching moment that you would like to share with Feminist Teacher readers? We would like to invite readers to submit brief descriptions of a classroom experience that challenged or encouraged your commitment to feminist pedagogy. Did a teaching strategy work especially well? Was a class particularly discouraging? In your teaching note, describe the experience...