Abstract
Changes in political, social, and economic structures in South Africa during the transition from apartheid to democratic governance in 1994 have put men and masculinity/ies under public and scholarly scrutiny. Attention has generally focused on the links between masculinity and violence, particularly among black men from low-income backgrounds, in attempts to understand the widespread levels of sexual violence throughout the country. Together, but in tension with the focus on men and violence, has been a literature that documents gender change in South Africa. This literature argues, for example, that men are embracing fatherhood and becoming more engaged in childcare. Nevertheless, such scholarship is overshadowed by a focus on men and violence. In this article, I reflect on the lives of a group of men living in contemporary Alexandra township, Johannesburg, South Africa, who are exploring what it means to be a man and the issues and challenges they face in their attempts to transition their masculine identities.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 213-231 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Men and Masculinities |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 2 |
Early online date | 14 May 2020 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jun 2022 |
Keywords
- gender equality
- masculinities in transition
- South Africa
- masculinity
- masculine identity