Gender Explanations- Men Flashcards
Why do men COMMIT crime?
Messerschmidt: Hegemonic Masculinity
Winlow: Postmodernity, Masculinity and Crime
Bodily capital
What is Messerschmidt’s definition of masculinity?
a social construct or ‘accomplishment’ and men have to constantly work at constructing and presenting this masculinity to others
What is hegemonic masculinity and how is it achieved?
The dominant most prestigious form of masculinity
work in the paid labour market
the subordination of women
heterosexism- the difference between men and women and the desire for them> the uncontrollable sexuality of men
What men have no desire to achieve hegemonic masculinity (subordinated masculinities)?
Gay men and lower class/EM men who lack the resources to complete it
How can crime and deviance be used as resources to demonstrate masculinity?
White MC Youths: Subordinate themselves to teachers in order to achieve success (accommodating masculinity in school) and outside they may drink, do pranks and vandalism (oppositional masculinity outside of school
White WC Youths: oppositional masculinity inside and outside of school as less likely to achieve academic success> sexist attitudes, being tough, opposing teacher authority e.g. Willis’ lads
Black lower WC youths: few expectations of a reasonable job> gang membership and violence to express masculinity or turn to serious property crime to succeed
MC men may also use Corporate crime to accomplish hegemonic masculinity e.g. embezzling funds to have more wealth and status
How is Messerschmidt’s argument circular? [Eval]
Is masculinity an explanation of male crime or just a description of male offenders
Masculinity>male crimes>crimes committed by males (circular)
How is Messerschmidt’s argument too generalised?
Doesn’t explain why all men don’t use crime to accomplish hegemonic masculinity and he uses masculinity to explain ALL male crimes e.g vandalism to embezzlement
How has globalisation led to a loss of many traditional male masculine jobs?
de-industrialisation> less physical labour jobs
What is an example of the new masculine job market?
Night-time leisure economy (Bouncers etc) has provided combo of legal employment, criminal opportunities and a means of expressing masculinity
What did Winlow’s study find in Sunderland?
Bouncer jobs provided WC men w/ paid work and opportunity for illegal business ventures (e.g. selling drugs) AND the opportunity to express their masculinity through violence
How does Winlow draw on Cloward and Ohlin’s conflict and criminal subcultures?
always been a violent, conflict subculture> ‘hard man’ who earns status thru violence
BUT
Sunderland, no organised crime> no professional criminal subculture
How can Winlow’s study be supported?
Shows how the expression of masculinity has shifted along with postmodern, de-industrialised society
Winlow provides useful information on how change opens up new criminal opportunities for men to use violence to express masculinity
How has postmodernity changed violence?
not just a way of displaying masculinity anymore but a commodity to earn a living from
What depends on bodily capital and why?
Reputation and employability, body represents a symbol of worth and looking the part
e.g. bouncers might go into bodybuilding as its not only being able to win fights but to
MAINTAIN THE SIGN VALUE OF THEIR BODIES (look the part and put off competitors from challenging them)
[Winlow]
