organised by
Tereza Kuldova, PhD
Senior Researcher, University of Oslo, Norway & University of Vienna, Austria
Richard Wilk, PhD
Distinguished Professor of Social Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, US
The study of masculinity has been gaining momentum in the last two decades. However, much of this research has been typically framed by concerns about sexuality, gender and identity. This conference seeks to radically depart from this focus. Instead, it aims to analyse the rise to prominence of diverse forms of ‘extreme masculinities’ – right-wing, violent, criminal, gang, terrorist, hyper-muscular, prison, football hooligan etc. – within and through the context of contemporary politics, neoliberal restructuring of the economy and the ideology of consumerism. The conference aims to foster thinking about the rise of ‘extreme masculinities’ from the perspective of social, economic and structural analysis and thus offer an alternative perspective to the increasing proliferation of theories that individualize and psychologize questions surrounding gender. The conference will touch upon subjects such as (1) transformation of masculinity under neoliberal restructuring of societies, (2) the rise of nostalgia for heroic and ‘racially pure’ masculinity, (3) staging of violent and aggressive masculinities in relation to consumption, (4) outlaw, deviant and criminal masculinities, (5) extreme risk-taking and gambling, (5) the rise of fascist and alt-right masculinities, and more.
Keynote speakers:
- Richard Wilk
Distinguished Professor of Social Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, US - Simon Winlow
Professor of Criminology, Teesside University, UK - Steve Hall
Professor of Criminology, Teesside University, UK - Alberto Testa
Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of West London, UK
For any queries please contact Tereza Kuldova: tereza.kuldova@iakh.uio.no
The conference is financially supported by Zukunftsfonds der Republik Österreich, the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna. and by the Gender and Agency Forschungsverbund at the University of Vienna.
