Men & Masculinities [2 volumes]

Book excerpt: The first encyclopedia to analyze, summarize, and explain the complexities of men's lives and the idea of modern manhood. The process of "making masculinity visible" has been going on for over two decades and has produced a prodigious and interesting body of work. But until now the subject has had no authoritative reference source. Men & Masculinities, a pioneering two-volume work, corrects the oversight by summarizing the latest historical, biological, cross-cultural, psychological, and sociological research on the subject. It also looks at literature, art, and music from a gender perspective. The contributors are experts in their specialties and their work is directed, organized, and coedited by one of the premier scholars in the field, Michael Kimmel. The coverage brings together for the first time considerable knowledge of men and manhood, focusing on such areas as sexual violence, intimacy, pornography, homophobia, sports, profeminist men, rituals, sexism, and many other important subjects. Clearly, this unique reference is a valuable guide to students, teachers, writers, policymakers, journalists, and others who seek a fuller understanding of gender in the United States.