The Concept of Hegemonic Masculinity in the Theory of Raewyn Connell: From the XX to the XXI century

This article explores the development of the concept of hegemonic masculinity in the theory of well-known Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell. The author analyzes the transformation of some aspects of the classic definition for the hegemonic masculinity concept in the context of the new social and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ekaterina B. Khitruk
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology 2017-12-01
Series:Социологический журнал
Online Access:http://jour.fnisc.ru/upload/journals/1/articles/5526/submission/proof/5526-61-10928-1-10-20180701.pdf
_version_ 1818126469540347904
author Ekaterina B. Khitruk
author_facet Ekaterina B. Khitruk
author_sort Ekaterina B. Khitruk
collection DOAJ
description This article explores the development of the concept of hegemonic masculinity in the theory of well-known Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell. The author analyzes the transformation of some aspects of the classic definition for the hegemonic masculinity concept in the context of the new social and political situation of 21st century society. The first part of the article is devoted to the explication of the main elements of the classic way to formulate the question on the nature and the meaning of masculinity. The author of this article refers to such concepts as “hegemony”, “gender order”, “gender regimes”, “gender structure”, “gender composition”. In the second part of the article, the problematic moments of the classic definition for the concept of hegemonic masculinity, associated with reductionist and essentialist methods of interpretation, are specified. From Raewyn Connell’s perspective, the concept of hegemonic masculinity is in need of revision when it comes to four main aspects: the nature of the gender hierarchy, the geography of masculinity configurations, the process of social embodiment and the dynamics of masculinity. A critical rethinking of the basic elements of the concept of hegemonic masculinity becomes especially relevant in the 21st century due to the specifics of the current political situation, which actualizes the tendency for gender reaction in politics and culture. The third part of the article emphasizes the ontological significance of the hegemonic masculinity concept, which is transformed in the theory of Raewyn Connell into the issue of a complex and mobile way for mankind’s existence, its existential efficiency, as well as a possible alternative path for the development of history itself. The article concludes that today the concept of hegemonic masculinity is the primary conceptual basis, which has sufficient complexity and, at the same time, sufficient semantic unity in order to effectively reveal the functioning of extremely vital mechanisms of gender inequality.
first_indexed 2024-12-11T07:01:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b1b406b973994f72b1fe5411273cc757
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1562-2495
language Russian
last_indexed 2024-12-11T07:01:57Z
publishDate 2017-12-01
publisher Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology
record_format Article
series Социологический журнал
spelling doaj.art-b1b406b973994f72b1fe5411273cc7572022-12-22T01:16:36ZrusRussian Academy of Sciences, Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied SociologyСоциологический журнал1562-24952017-12-0123483010.19181/socjour.2017.23.4.55265526The Concept of Hegemonic Masculinity in the Theory of Raewyn Connell: From the XX to the XXI centuryEkaterina B. Khitruk0National Research Tomsk State UniversityThis article explores the development of the concept of hegemonic masculinity in the theory of well-known Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell. The author analyzes the transformation of some aspects of the classic definition for the hegemonic masculinity concept in the context of the new social and political situation of 21st century society. The first part of the article is devoted to the explication of the main elements of the classic way to formulate the question on the nature and the meaning of masculinity. The author of this article refers to such concepts as “hegemony”, “gender order”, “gender regimes”, “gender structure”, “gender composition”. In the second part of the article, the problematic moments of the classic definition for the concept of hegemonic masculinity, associated with reductionist and essentialist methods of interpretation, are specified. From Raewyn Connell’s perspective, the concept of hegemonic masculinity is in need of revision when it comes to four main aspects: the nature of the gender hierarchy, the geography of masculinity configurations, the process of social embodiment and the dynamics of masculinity. A critical rethinking of the basic elements of the concept of hegemonic masculinity becomes especially relevant in the 21st century due to the specifics of the current political situation, which actualizes the tendency for gender reaction in politics and culture. The third part of the article emphasizes the ontological significance of the hegemonic masculinity concept, which is transformed in the theory of Raewyn Connell into the issue of a complex and mobile way for mankind’s existence, its existential efficiency, as well as a possible alternative path for the development of history itself. The article concludes that today the concept of hegemonic masculinity is the primary conceptual basis, which has sufficient complexity and, at the same time, sufficient semantic unity in order to effectively reveal the functioning of extremely vital mechanisms of gender inequality.http://jour.fnisc.ru/upload/journals/1/articles/5526/submission/proof/5526-61-10928-1-10-20180701.pdf
spellingShingle Ekaterina B. Khitruk
The Concept of Hegemonic Masculinity in the Theory of Raewyn Connell: From the XX to the XXI century
Социологический журнал
title The Concept of Hegemonic Masculinity in the Theory of Raewyn Connell: From the XX to the XXI century
title_full The Concept of Hegemonic Masculinity in the Theory of Raewyn Connell: From the XX to the XXI century
title_fullStr The Concept of Hegemonic Masculinity in the Theory of Raewyn Connell: From the XX to the XXI century
title_full_unstemmed The Concept of Hegemonic Masculinity in the Theory of Raewyn Connell: From the XX to the XXI century
title_short The Concept of Hegemonic Masculinity in the Theory of Raewyn Connell: From the XX to the XXI century
title_sort concept of hegemonic masculinity in the theory of raewyn connell from the xx to the xxi century
url http://jour.fnisc.ru/upload/journals/1/articles/5526/submission/proof/5526-61-10928-1-10-20180701.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT ekaterinabkhitruk theconceptofhegemonicmasculinityinthetheoryofraewynconnellfromthexxtothexxicentury
AT ekaterinabkhitruk conceptofhegemonicmasculinityinthetheoryofraewynconnellfromthexxtothexxicentury