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Masculinity in American Politics

Monika L McDermott editor Dan Cassino editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:New York University Press

Publishing:25th Feb '25

£27.99

This title is due to be published on 25th February, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

This paperback is available in another edition too:

Masculinity in American Politics cover

How elements of masculinity manifest themselves in all aspects of American political life
While hardly a new phenomenon, masculinity—which includes elements of toughness, independence, and leadership, among others—roared onto the national political stage in America with the 2016 candidacy, election, and presidency of Donald Trump. Research into masculinity dates back over a century, but little attention has been paid to the specific role of masculinity in politics beyond the conventional wisdom that it, rather than femininity, is the dominant force. This lack of research has led to a lack of knowledge on how exactly, and how much, masculinity shapes political structures, attitudes and behaviors, from children’s socialization to our masculine political world, to how a new generation views this traditional dominance.
In Masculinity in American Politics, Monika L. McDermott and Dan Cassino bring together a prestigious group of interdisciplinary scholars to explore these questions and their implications for different aspects of political life. Topics include the challenge of defining and measuring masculinity, how perceptions of gender and masculinity can shape campaign messaging strategies and public opinion, and other discussions of political identity, including age, race, and ethnicity.
With contributions from Melissa Deckman, Jill S. Greenlee, Amanda Bittner, and other high-profile scholars, this comprehensive volume provides insight into masculinity and its high-stakes political manifestations, particularly as Gen Z fights to redefine the contours of their own gender and sexuality. Drawing upon insights from politics, sociology, psychology, and the broader social sciences, Masculinity in American Politics pushes the field to look “beyond the binary” and illuminate this brave, new world of political conflict and possibility.

"This pathbreaking volume is an invaluable resource for social scientists, students, and practitioners interested in understanding how masculinity influences politics. McDermott and Cassino have brought together compelling studies employing a wide range of approaches to document the multitude of ways that masculinity, in its various forms and complexity, pervades almost all aspects of American politics." -- Susan J. Carroll * author of A Seat at the Table: Congresswomen’s Perspectives on Why Their Presence Matters (Oxford 2018) *
"Too often, gender scholars in political science focus on women and femininity at the expense of analyzing the masculinized nature of politics. This volume offers a path forward by conceptualizing and defining masculinity and masculine identity to demonstrate the many ways that it affects socialization, elections, and citizens with attention to race and disability as important intersections for analysis. The set of top-notch authors from across political science argue persuasively that masculinity is crucial for interpreting the current political environment." -- Monica Schneider * co-author of The Political Psychology of Women in U.S. Politics (Routledge Studies in Political Psychology Book 4) *
"You can’t understand much about contemporary U.S. politics without understanding mainstream masculinity. This timely volume ranges across key areas of political science that intersect with masculinity including socialization, race and ethnicity, ableism, elections, care, and generational analyses. Essential reading for mapping out a more hopeful future beyond hegemonic masculinity." -- Susan Burgess, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Political Science, Ohio University
"It seems obvious that masculinity plays a role in politics, but the question of how it does so is complex, multifaceted, and far-reaching. This brilliant collection of essays explores this complexity from a variety of perspectives, shedding much-needed light on the many ways that masculinity shapes the political world and our participation in it. For anyone interested in dismantling gender inequality, this book is an absolute must read." -- Heath Fogg Davis, Professor of Political Philosophy and Director, Intellectual Heritage Program Temple University * Heath Fogg Davis, Professor of Political Philosophy and Director, Intellectual Heritage Program Temple University *

ISBN: 9781479830701

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

352 pages