Of Boys and Men: Masculinity and Gender in Southern African Studies
Author(s)
Morrell, Robert
Abstract
Southern African historiography has become increasingly gender-sensitive in the last decade, primarily because of the impact of feminism. This, however, has also shown how little is known about masculinity. This article introduces readers to the inter-disciplinary work on masculinity, reviews how research on gender in South Africa has handled issues of men and masculinity and then suggests how insights taken from men’s studies might help to broaden gender analysis and enrich the study of the South African past. In this article, a range of masculinities is identified. Colonialism created new and transformed existing masculinities, and within it positions of domination were created along the lines of race. However, key African institutions survived, and this was the basis for an African masculinity that in certain geographical and social areas disputed hegemony with white masculinities.
