On Men and Cars AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF GENDERED, RISKY AND DANGEROUS RELATIONS Dag Balkmar Linköping Studies in Arts and Science No. 558 Linköpings Universitet, Institutionen för TEMA Linköping 2012 Linköping Studies in Arts and Science No. 558 At the Faculty of Arts and Science at Linköping University, research and doctoral studies are carried out within broad problem areas. Research is organized in interdisciplinary research environments and doctoral studies mainly in graduate schools. Jointly, they publish the series Linköping Studies in Arts and Science. This thesis comes from Tema Genus, the Department of Thematic Studies – Gender Studies. Distributed by: TEMA – the Department of Thematic Studies Linköpings universitet 581 83 Linköping Sweden Dag Balkmar On Men and Cars: An Ethnographic Study of Gendered, Risky and Dangerous Relations Edition 1:1 ISBN: 978-91-7519-806-4 ISSN: 0282-9800 © Dag Balkmar TEMA – the Department of Thematic Studies, 2012 Printed by LiU-Tryck, Linköping, 2012 Cover design by Keith Nally and Per Lagman Cover photography by Andreas Pettersson Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................... 7 1 What’s up with modified cars? .......................................................................................................... 11 On men and cars: risks and problems ................................................................................................... 16 Aim and research questions .................................................................................................................. 20 People and modified cars, why is this important? ................................................................................ 21 Previous research on men and cars ...................................................................................................... 24 Swedish car culture(s) ........................................................................................................................... 28 Structure of the thesis ........................................................................................................................... 31 2 Theorising cars .................................................................................................................................. 35 Gender as process ................................................................................................................................. 36 Gender and technology ......................................................................................................................... 38 Sexist or queer cars? ............................................................................................................................. 43 Men and masculinities .......................................................................................................................... 45 Modifier masculinity fashioned in the imaginary ................................................................................. 47 Cultures of the car ................................................................................................................................. 49 Man body meets car ............................................................................................................................. 53 Men and risk ......................................................................................................................................... 55 3 An ethnographic study of gender and cars ........................................................................................ 59 “The field” – web forums, car shows and tours .................................................................................... 59 The informants ...................................................................................................................................... 61 Ethnography.......................................................................................................................................... 64 Participant observation ......................................................................................................................... 66 Interviews .............................................................................................................................................. 70 In-car interviews ................................................................................................................................... 71 Ethnography: reality, reflexivity and selves .......................................................................................... 72 Men researching men ........................................................................................................................... 75 Analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 79 4 Cars and distinction .......................................................................................................................... 83 Meeting up with Lars ............................................................................................................................ 84 Like no-one else ..................................................................................................................................... 87 Recognition and visibility by way of cars .............................................................................................. 90 Car modification as normal ................................................................................................................... 94 Limited editions ..................................................................................................................................... 98 Car fashion and its swift changes: “You’ve got one year, max” .......................................................... 101 Negotiating transnational trends in car styles .................................................................................... 105 Modifiers against the grain ................................................................................................................. 110 “It’s in the soul, you know” ................................................................................................................. 115 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 116 5 Crafting cars .................................................................................................................................... 119 Car modification, craft and modifier masculinity ............................................................................... 119 A special kind of person ...................................................................................................................... 123 Typically Swedish ................................................................................................................................ 126 Gendered materials ............................................................................................................................ 128 Car modification and everyday life ..................................................................................................... 132 Modifying cars with sponsors ............................................................................................................. 135 Women in car modification ................................................................................................................. 138 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 143 6 Cars, styles and clashes ................................................................................................................... 147 What is a “real” car? ........................................................................................................................... 148 The muscle car .................................................................................................................................... 149 The sleeper car .................................................................................................................................... 154 The clean car ....................................................................................................................................... 157 The extreme car .................................................................................................................................. 159 The collector’s car ............................................................................................................................... 163 National icons ..................................................................................................................................... 166 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 168 7 Cars on display ................................................................................................................................ 171 To meet at the car show ....................................................................................................................