This text considers the key themes, concepts and writings informing the increasingly important area of the sociology of masculinity. It broaches a range of issues, including masculinity and materiality, masculinity in crisis, sexuality, male power, identity and the politics of masculinity.

Acknowledgements. Introduction.. 1. Masculinity – Illusion or Reality?. Men's Nature, Men's History. Natural Men?. Masculinities in History. Functionalism and the Male Sex Role. Gender and Functionalism. Perspectives on Sex/Gender Roles. Psychoanalytical Perspectives. Freud. Jung. From 1st to 2nd Wave (Pro)Feminism. Multiplicity, Materiality – and Illusion. Multiple Masculinities. The Materiality of Men's Violences. Material Actualities – a global perspective. Conclusion. 2. The Personal and the Political: Men and Feminism. A Crisis of Masculinity or a Moral Panic?. A Discourse of Crisis. The Crisis Discourse in Politics and Public Policy. The Male Crisis in Perspective. Men as a Political Category. The Discursive Connection. Men's Responses to Feminism. Marking Differences. Political Polarisations. Black and Latino Men, Black and Latino Masculinities. Gay Male Liberation and Queer Theory. Concluding on Changing Men (and Women).. 3. Power and Resistance. Structural Models of Gender Power. Juridico-Discursive Theories. Patriarchy. Hegemonic Masculinity. Gender Order. Masculinism. Power as Discursive. Bringing Back the Resisting Subject. A Foucauldian Analysis. The Discursive Subject of Power. Summary. 4. Public Men. He's Leaving Home: The heroic male project. Myths and Icons. An Heroic Male Project – building empires. Work, Management and the Professional. Men at Work. Men as Managers. Masculinity and Professionalism. Time to Play. Gendered Time. Gendered Leisure.. Summary. 5. Private Men. The Private ‘I'. Fathers and Families. Friendships and Relationships. Men's Relationships. Men's Friendships. Pure Relationships. Sexualities. Trust, Intimacy and Emotion. Trust. Intimacy. Emotions and Feelings. Endings and Openings. 6. Marking Male Bodies. Male Bodies. Male Bodies in Process. Throwing Like a Boy. Materialising Male Bodies. Gazing at the Male Body. Race Man. A Gay Body of Men. Ageing Male Bodies. Summary. 7. Desires of The Masculine Subject. The Masculine Subject. Masculine Ontology. Desire To Be (a man). Implications and Conclusion. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

Acknowledgements. Introduction.. 1. Masculinity ? Illusion or Reality?. 2. The Personal and the Political: Men and Feminism. 3. Power and Resistance. 4. Public Men. 5. Private Men. 6. Marking Male Bodies. 7. Desires of The Masculine Subject. Notes. Bibliography. Index.