Spaces of Masculinities

Book excerpt: Changing circumstances in Western and global societies have introduced new constraints and opportunities for men and the formation of male identities. Meanwhile, the emerging diversity of 'atypical' identities ('atypical' when compared with traditional conceptions of middle-class, white, heterosexual men) poses new challenges for the production and use of spaces. Spaces of Masculinities provides a comprehensive introduction to the innovative and diverse research on spaces of masculinity. Drawing on a variety of geographical research projects, the central concern of the book is to highlight the significance of research on masculinity in sociological and geographical work dealing with constructions of gender.