Manly States: Masculinities, International Relations, and Gender Politics - Paperback

by Charlotte Hooper (Author)

Much has been written on how masculinity shapes international relations, but little feminist scholarship has focused on how international relations shape masculinity. Charlotte Hooper draws from feminist theory to provide an account of the relationship between masculinity and power. She explores how the theory and practice of international relations produces and sustains masculine identities and masculine rivalries.

This volume asserts that international politics shapes multiple masculinities rather than one static masculinity, positing an interplay between a "hegemonic masculinity" (associated with elite, western male power) and other subordinated, feminized masculinities (typically associated with poor men, nonwestern men, men of color, and/or gay men). Employing feminist analyses to confront gender-biased stereotyping in various fields of international political theory--including academic scholarship, journals, and popular literature like The Economist--Hooper reconstructs the nexus of international relations and gender politics during this age of globalization.

Back Jacket

much has been written on how masculinity shapes international relations, but little feminist scholarship has focused on how international relations shape masculinity. Charlotte Hooper draws from feminist theory to provide an account of the relationship between masculinity and power. Responding to J. Ann Tickner's Gender in International Relations (Columbia 1992), Hooper explores how the theory and practice of international relations produces and sustains masculine identities and masculine rivalries.

This volume asserts that international politics shapes multiple masculinities rather than one static masculinity. Hooper builds on Connell's concepts of "hegemonic masculinity" (associated with elite, Western male power) and "subordinate", feminized masculinities (typically associated with poor men, non-Western men, men of color, and/or gay men) to map the interplay between different varieties of hegemonic masculinity and explore their relationship to international relations. Employing feminist analyses to confront gender-biased stereotyping in various forums of international political theory -- including academic scholarship, journals, and popular literature like The Economist -- Hooper reconstructs the nexus of international relations and gender politics during this age of globalization.

Author Biography

Charlotte Hooper won the British International Studies Association best dissertation prize in 1998. She now teaches gender and international relations at the University of Bristol.