Calls for Papers

Thinking about masculinity, maleness and men has always had a place in the interdisciplinary fields of feminist, queer and gender studies. Discussion and debate about the relevance of masculinity as a shifting concept has recently been further developed in the fields of politics and International Relations (IR) where scholars have explicitly tried to address women’s experiences in relation to the persistence of the ‘man question’.

Despite this, masculinity in international politics remains somewhat amorphous. Research has tended to be disconnected, addressing particular wars or media events, rather than masculinity as an organising concept or its role across space and time in its historically variable forms.

The next Nordic conference on research on men and masculinities takes place May 31st – June 1st 2012, at the University of Oslo. The deadline for first call for paper and suggestions for workshop themes is May 15, 2011.

As numerous studies have shown, modern social reality imposes multiple complex and contradictory demands upon both men and women. The first decade of the new century has seen the creation of new challenges that have an impact on gender relations. The range of possible models for masculinity has broadened; it has become more difficult to fulfil the traditional “male duties” of a protector and breadwinner. On the one hand, we are seeing indications pointing to a neo-patriarchy, a revival of a traditionalist, conservative ideology that emphasizes the dominant role of men both in society and within the family. On the other hand, there are whole groups of young women who are growing more active and independent; these women are ready to compete with men on the labour market and are seeking relationships based on equality in the private sphere, undermining the foundations of traditional masculinity.

Dear friends and colleagues,

Promundo and an International Advisory Committee, with support from the OAK Foundation, announce a call for proposals for pilot-scale projects related to the prevention of the sexual exploitation of adolescent boys (10-19 years old).