Description

How is masculinity established and constructed? How do different types of masculinity differ? Why do conceptions of masculinity change, and how do men cope with these changes? In his book *Masculinities*, R. W. Connell discusses these and related questions. He outlines the various attempts in the twentieth century to understand the masculine, to create a science of the male through psychoanalysis and social science research. Connell further explores the global history of masculinity over the last four hundred years and the specific forms of masculinity that exist in the Western world today. For example, he discusses contemporary men’s movements and the media’s keen interest in masculinity. *Masculinities* is partly based on interviews with groups of men grappling with changes in gender relations. The aim is to systematically link personal life and social structure, and to highlight both the complexity and the many opportunities inherent in change. R W Connell is a professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.