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Narratives of Undergraduate Men About Masculinity and Men's NARRATIVES OF UNDERGRADUATE MEN ABOUT MASCULINITY AND MEN’S VIOLENCE Keenan Yul Colquitt, Jr. A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2020 Committee: Kenneth Borland, Committe Chair D-L Stewart, Committee Co-Chair Jeanne Novak Graduate Faculty Representative Ellen Broido © 2020 Keenan Yul Colquitt, Jr. All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Kenneth Borland, Advisor College, specifically undergraduate, men are often described as “drunken, promiscuous… lovers of pornography, sports, and video games who rape women, physically assault each other, [and] vandalize buildings on campus” (Harris & Harper, 2014, p. 10). These behaviors are perceived to be common, even normal, for undergraduate men. The behavior is observable on today’s college campuses and was commonplace at the conception of post secondary institutions in the United States. The research on college men and masculinity primarily focuses on toxic behavior. These studies perpetuate the belief that most college men behave this way, amplify participation in toxic behavior, and undermine most men that do not. I focused on college men who worked to disrupt toxic gender norms that perpetuate men’s violence. I sought to understand how college men defined masculinity by listening to the stories they told of how they learned to define masculinity as children, as adolescents, and as college men involved in anti-violence initiatives. The study also attempted to understand how their definitions of masculinity were shaped and informed by their involvement in these initiatives. In addition, the study considered why some college men were motivated to disrupt toxic gender norms; why they became and remained involved in anti-violence initiatives. This qualitative study was conducted using narrative inquiry and a constructionist paradigm. Josselson (2011) suggested four processes for narrative data analysis: overall reading, re-reading for narratives, re-reading for patterns, and dialoguing the themes. I utilized these steps for data analysis. iv Participants initially defined their masculinity in concert with traditional masculine norms; ideals they were taught as children. Gender and cultural discourse informed how they defined and performed their masculinities. They also engaged in behavior consistent with dominant gender and social discourse to ascend social hierarchy and gain social status. The participants matured in how they defined their masculine identities and became more inclusive of non-traditional depictions of masculinity in other people. However, they were motivated to be perceived as good men because they believed this would result in social accolades and increased social status. Thus, these men continued to define their masculinity through hegemonic ideologies. v Dedication To my wife, thank you. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To my advisors and my committee, thank you. It has been a long road and I can’t say how much I appreciate your help. To my friends, I appreciate your support. To my fellow scholars, thank you for providing me with guidance. Lastly, to my family … my great-grand parents and grandparents, thank you for inspiring me to achieve this success. To my parents; my mom and dad, thank you for everything you sacrificed so that I could have. To my wife, thank you for sacrificing with me to see this through. I love you all. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION….... ............................................................................... 1 Background of Problem….... .................................................................................. 2 Statement of Problem….... ...................................................................................... 6 Purpose of the Study….... ....................................................................................... 7 Research Questions….... ......................................................................................... 8 Significance of the Study….... ................................................................................ 8 Definition of Terms….... ........................................................................................ 9 Summary and Conclusion….... .............................................................................. 12 CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ….... ............................................................ 14 Gender and Gender Socialization….... ................................................................... 14 Gender….... ............................................................................................... 15 Masculinity….... .................................................................................................... 17 Sex Categorization….... ............................................................................. 18 Gender Roles….... ...................................................................................... 20 Gender Role Conflict….... .......................................................................... 21 Gender Role Socialization….... .................................................................. 21 Hegemonic Masculinity….... ...................................................................... 25 Gender Regimes….... ..................................................................... 26 Power…...................... .................................................................... 26 Domination…………………………………….…………………. .. 27 Society’s Permissiveness…………………………………………... 28 viii Privilege….............................................................................. 28 Emphasized Femininity..…………………………………… 29 Hegemony... ……………………………….………………… 30 Masculinity as Behavior …………………………… 32 Masculinity as Identity……………………………... 33 Hegemonic Masculinity Reconsidered….... ……………………………………….. 35 Challenging Hegemonic Masculinity………………………………………. 35 Other Forms of Masculinity……………………………………………..… 39 Heteromasculinty or Heterosexual Masculinity …………………… 40 Toxic Masculinity ……………………………………………… … 44 Productive Masculinity ………………………………………… … 47 Challenging and Redefining Patriarchal Norms …………… 48 Masculine Capital … . ……………………………… 49 Environmental Ethos … ………………………….... 49 Re-thinking Productive Masculinity … . …………………………… 50 Patriarchal Power ………………………………………… 52 Hegemony ………………………………………………… 54 The Social Norms Approach ……………………………………………………… 56 Discourse ………………………………………………………………………….. 58 Social Discourse …………………………………………………………… 59 Cultural Discourse ……………………………………………… ............... 59 Gender Discourse ………………………………………………................. 59 Weaknesses in Current Literature ……………………………………………… .... 60 ix Conclusion ……………………………………………… ...................................... 61 Gender ……………………………………………… ................................. 61 Masculinity ……………………………………………… .......................... 63 Discourse ……………………………………………… ............................. 64 CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY………………………. ................................................ 67 Research Questions………………………………………………………………… 67 Researcher’s Values and Assumptions…………………………………………… . 67 Personal Interest…………………………………………… ....................... 67 Educational Background…………………………………………………… 69 Professional Experiences…………………………………………………… 71 Paradigmatic Framework…………………………………………………………… 72 Ontology ……………………………………………… ......................................... 73 Epistemology ……………………………………………… .................................. 73 Methodology ………………………………………………............................................... 74 Setting and Context………………………………………………………………… 75 Participant Selection……………………………………………………………… .. 76 Recruitment……………………………………………………………… ............... 79 Data Collection…………………………………………………………………… .. 80 Verification of Data……………………………………………………… ... 82 Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………… 82 Data Analysis ……………………………………………… .................................. 83 Trustworthiness ……………………………………………… ............................... 84 Credibility ………………………………………………............................ 85 x Transferability ……………………………………………… ..................... 86 Dependability……………………………………………… ....................... 87 Confirmability ……………………………………………… ..................... 87 Harm ……………………………………………… ................................... 87 Deception ……………………………………………… ............................ 88 Privacy and Confidentiality ……………………………………………… .. 88 Limitations ……………………………………………… .......................... 88 CHAPTER IV. FINDINGS……………………………. .................................................... 90 Beginning in the Midst at Snowy State…………………………………………….. 91 Profile: Bruce……………………………………………………………….. .......... 94 Childhood……………………………………………………………….. .... 95 Adolescence………………………………………………………………... 97 College……………………………………………………………….. ........ 104 Mensgroup……………………………………………………….. ... 109 Role of Discourse………………………………………………………….. 112 Profile: Gregory……………………………………………………………….. ...... 116 Childhood……………………………………………………………….. .... 116 Gregory’s Mother………………………………………………… .. 119 Gregory’s Anger……………………………………………………. 119 Adolescence………………………………………………………………... 121 College……………………………………………………………….. ........ 124 Mensgroup……………………………………………………….. ... 127 Role of Discourse………………………………………………………….. 128 xi Profile: Indy……………………………………………………………….. ............ 130 Childhood……………………………………………………………….. .... 130 Adolescence………………………………………………………………... 135 College……………………………………………………………….. ........ 138 Mensgroup……………………………………………………….. ... 140 Role of Discourse………………………………………………………….
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