Waubonsee Community College

Masculine identities, the history and meanings of manliness, Herbert Sussman

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

index present

non fiction

Masculine identities

bibliography

745980504

Herbert Sussman

the history and meanings of manliness

"This book provides an intriguing look at the long history of the changing definitions of what it means to "be a man," identifying both the continuity and disparity in these ideals and explaining the contemporary crisis of masculinityNot all men are truly "men" - that is, people of both sexes believe that not everyone who is born biologically male reaches the ideal for men dictated by the society into which he is born. Such masculine identities or concepts of manliness have existed from the beginnings of human civilization, and they take vastly different shapes throughout history and across cultures and subculturesIn the classical Athens of Plato and Pericles, erotic relations between adolescents and adult men - what we now revile as pedophilia - was the marker of manliness; a clear example of how concepts of masculinity shift. Even within modern western society, there are conflicting ideals for men; they are expected to be both aggressive and unemotional in business, and sensitive and caring as a father and loverMasculine Identities: The History and Meanings of Manliness provides a comprehensive consideration of what "being a man" has meant over time. A fascinating read for men and women alike, it examines masculine identities that emerged in the past and continue into the present, such as the warrior, the democratic man, the craftsman, the self-made man of business, as well as ethnic forms of manliness. The work concludes by examining the contemporary issues of male sexuality, same-sex identity, and the conflicts within men in the modern world."--pub. desc

Man as warrior -- Athens and the emergence of democratic man -- The craftsman -- Economic man and the rise of the middle class -- I am a man : African-American masculine identities -- Jewish-American masculine identities -- Same-sex desire and masculine identity -- Conclusion : masculine identities now