Synopsis
A look at how organized sports define the concept of maleness explores the intertwining of sports and masculinity across the life span of American men, following the athletic careers of its subjects from boyhood to the end of their careers.
Reviews
This provocative study by a sociology professor at the University of Southern California is based on interviews he conducted in the mid-1980s with 30 male former athletes (some of whom disliked being called "former") whose involvement with organized sport occurred in either high school, college or professional leagues. Examining "the relationship between the development of masculine identities and the structure of sport as a social institution," Messner observes that the increased participation of women in sports--which, he notes, prompted his book--and a growing acceptance of gay athletes pose a powerful challenge to traditional notions of games as macho (and sexist and homophobic) activities. Among other striking observations in this well-documented analysis, Messner suggests that the feminist revolution of the 1960s and '70s may have stimulated a burgeoning interest in pro football, the most violent of major American sports, on the part of "threatened" males. With graceful prose and a broad scope, the book offers a feast of ideas.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Fuzzy, argot-driven tract on men and sport. Messner (Sociology/Univ. of Southern California) introduces his feminist-inspired analysis with the premise that neither sports nor masculinity are biological in essence but are social creations. For his study, Messner selected 30 male former athletes who, he says, based their identity on athletic roles and ``therefore...had `athletic careers' '' (although a dozen did not play past high school). Using self-proclaimed ``feminist'' methodology (``both interviewer and interviewee should benefit''), Messner asked his subjects to talk about their sports experiences. Although he worried he was getting a better deal than his subjects (``The intimate information...would help me complete my Ph.D. degree, write a book, and launch my career as a sociologist''), he decided that the interviewees were receiving a ``learning experience.'' With his small sample--unhindered by standard research methodologies of random selection, structured interviews, etc.--Messner buttresses his conception of ``feminist psychoanalytic theory.'' Taking snippets from the interviews, he discusses topics such as: ``Playing Hurt'' (athletes have an ``alienated'' relationship with their bodies); ``Recreational Drugs'' (``Alcohol...can give men permission to `open up' ''); ``Sexuality and Sexual Identity'' (``the erotic bond between men is neutralized through overt homophobia and [by using] women as objects of sexual talk and practice''); and ``The Challenge of Female Athleticism'' (``its challenge to sport's construction of hegemonic masculinity has been largely defused''). Not surprisingly, the conclusion of Messner's ``research'' is that, for sport to be ``humanized,'' boys and girls must be nurtured equally with the work shared by both parents, and ``all our social institutions'' reorganized to maximize equality. An ideological document masquerading as a research study, focused solely on the downside of sports and ignoring its benefits. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Messner (sociology, Univ. of Southern California) attempts to resolve the role of sports in male society. The author, who has co-edited other volumes on men's studies, examines the effects of athletics on male development from boyhood through midlife. In search of common bonds, he interviews 30 former athletes. By analyzing early experiences, careers, and post-sports lives, Messner identifies how each male athlete's identity was molded and how each used his participation to attain goals. Appendixes offer details of each athlete's careers and backgrounds (racial, social, and economic) and a synopsis of the interview process. This engrossing volume will appeal more to sociologists than sports fans.
- Jeffrey Gay, Bridgewater P.L., Mass.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
