Global Masculinities: Interrogations and Reconstructions

What does it mean to be male in today’s world?

This volume interrogates the myriad practices and myth-making that underlie dominant and subordinate constructions of masculinities around the world. Challenging the patriarchal bias that restricts alternative understanding of masculinities, this volume documents and shares evidence, insights and direction on how men and boys can creatively contribute to gender equality in the twenty-first century.

The book:

• highlights the many lives of men and their interactions with socioeconomic and political processes, including the family, fatherhood, migration, development and violence;

• critiques hegemonic masculinities, and grapples with effective practices that engage men in the empowerment of women;

• explores how cultures of masculinity can be transformed to promote social justice, conflict-resolution and peace-building within and across nations

The book will be indispensable to researchers interested in critical masculinity studies, women’s studies, sociology, social anthropology, law, public policy, political science and international relations. It will also be of great relevance to government officials, NGO activists, and other practitioners concerned with gender, health and development issues.

Mangesh Kulkarni teaches political science at Savitribai Phule Pune University, India, and has been an ICCR Chair Professor at universities in Vienna (2011) and Leipzig (2017). His publications include three edited volumes –Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Political Theory (2011), India in World Affairs (1999), Politics in Maharashtra (1995) – and A Terrorist of the Spirit (1992) – jointly translated Marathi poems of V. A. Dahake. He is an International Advisory Editor of the journal Men and Masculinities (New York), and a Founder Member of the Forum to Engage Men (New Delhi). He has received several academic awards including a Research Grant of the Rockefeller Archive Center (2004) and an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship of the European Commission (2009).

Rimjhim Jain is a gender rights activist working with the Centre for Health and Social Justice, New Delhi, India. As Programme Manager in the men and gender equality team, she coordinates networks and projects for working with men in several Indian states. She is leading the rollout of the national campaign EkSaath to engage men and boys in changing gender discriminatory social norms, and manages the organisation's Resource Centre on masculinities and gender aimed at strengthening a global community of men’s work practitioners. Earlier, she was a professional television and print news journalist and then a communications consultant in the social development sector. She has also co-authored media manuals for UN organisations on HIV/AIDS and child labour.