Cop 3 Reading: Gender and Power R W. Connell

Gender and Power R W. Connell 

Connell, R. (2006). Gender and power. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford Univ. Press.

Gender and Power R W. Connell 

Hegemonic Masculinity: 

‘practice that legitimises men's dominant position in society and justifies the subordination of women, and other marginalised ways of being a man. Conceptually, hegemonic masculinity proposes to explain how and why men maintain dominant social roles over women, and other gender identities, which are perceived as "feminine" in a given society.’

Hegemonic:

refers to the cultural dynamics by means of which a social group claims, and sustains, a leading and dominant position in a social hierarchy

Chpt:

Hegemonic Masculinity and Emphasised Femininity 

• ‘hegemonic masculinity’ is always constructed in relation to various subordinated masculinities as well as in relation to women’ 
• ‘there is no femininity that is hegemonic in the sense that the dominant form of masculinity is hegemonic among men’ 
• ‘compliance with this subordination and is orientation to accommodate the interests and needs of men’ - ‘emphasised femininity’ 
• hegemony ‘social ascendency achieved in a play of social forces that extend beyond contests of brute power into the organisation of private life and cultural processes’ 
• ‘ascendency which is embedded in religious doctrine and practice, mass media content, wage structures , the design of housing, welfare/taxation polices and so on is’ 
• ‘hegemony does not mean total cultural dominance, the obliteration of alternatives. Its means ascendency achieved within a balance of forces. Other patterns or groups are subordinate rather than eliminated’ 
• ‘cultural ideal of masculinity need not correspond  all closely to actual personalities of the majority of men’
• ‘models of masculinity are quite specifically fantasy’
• ‘real models may be published who are so remote form everyday achievement that they ay have the effect of an unattainable ideal’ 
• ‘public face of hegemonic masculinities is not necessarily what powerful men are, but what sustains their power, and what large numbers of men are motivated to support’ 
• ‘most men benefits form the subordinate of women , and hegemonic masculinity is the cultural expression of this ascendency’ 
• ‘all forms of femininity in this society are constructed in the context of the overall subordination of women to men’ 

Summary:

Within this chapter Connell discusses the concept behind hegemonic masculinity and how it works to maintain the dominance of men. This provides an insight into how the roles of society today developed based on this concept, that men need to achieve dominate over women, women need to comply in order for men to maintain their dominance. However hegemonic masculinity doesn’t mean complete cultural dominance but dominance within a balance of forces, meaning groups other than women are subordinated rather than eliminated. Hegemonic masculinity may not necessarily be what powerful men are but its what sustains their power and maintains their support.