Abstract
Inclusive masculinity theory has recently been proposed as a new approach to theo- rizing contemporary masculinities. Focusing particularly on the work of the theory’s key exponent, Eric Anderson, this article offers a critical reading of inclusive masculinity theory in relation to the context of contemporary postfeminism. Building on feminist scholarship that analyzes the emergence of a distinctive postfeminist sensibility within the academy, I consider how inclusive masculinity theory both reflects and reproduces certain logics of postfeminism. My central concern is the manner in which this scho- larship deemphasizes key issues of sexual politics and promotes a discourse of optimism about men, masculinities, and social change. Against this view, I argue that critical masculinity studies must foreground the analysis of gendered power relations and posit that the interrogation of contemporary postfeminism is critical to this endeavor.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 100-120 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Men and Masculinities |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 2 Oct 2014 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Bibliographical note
This article was published as a result of research undertaken while I was a PhD candidate at King's College London.Keywords
- masculinity studies
- inclusive masculinity theory
- postfeminism
- sexual politics
- social change