Repertoires of heterosexual masculinity : a depth hermeneutic analysis of the men's movement
Date
1996
Authors
Allen-Newman, Jordie Eugene
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Abstract
Through the application of depth hermeneutics, the thesis critically investigates the social-historical development, organization and discursive politics of the men's movement. The working hypothesis is that a pervasive disruption in the hegemonic cultural sensibilities of heterosexual masculinity can be located in the contextually-shifting politics of the men's movement. The "men's movement" is analyzed as three separate movements roughly delineated by the analytical categories: "critical," "reactionary" and "new age." Men's movement politics not only cover the terrain from radical to liberal perspectives, but also neo-conservative, and reactionary politics. The divergent political agendas coalesce around three distinct social movements: mytho-poetic, profeminist and men's rights. Using metaphor, narrative and frame analysis, four social movement organizations are explored. The analysis highlights how ideology is involved in moulding dissatisfactions and conflict into a politicized agenda, constructing personal and collective identities and specifying certain material and signifying resources, within a social-hisotorical and discursive context.