December 2019

There were 7 posts published in December 2019 (this is page 1 of 1).

Final Reflection

I have learned many things throughout the course of the term, including such things as: how to write a conference paper and how to improve on the writing that I have already written, how to locate better resources through the use of the campus library website, the internet to cite research, examples, and quotations properly within the contents of my research paper as well as document it accurately of Chicago Manuel style. Through the term, I have learned several different methods used when writing an effective paper and how the different writing styles affect the overall theme and tone of the essay when used properly.

One of the methods I’ve learned was the rhetorical triangle, when you prepare a written document, speech or presentation, consider the three elements of the triangle. You must have a purpose you’re writing about for your audience to easily understand what you’re saying, and will more likely be influenced by it. When you know the purpose and audience you’re writing for, it becomes easier for you because then you’re paper will have a clear message and a specific point.

A writing style I’ve learned this term would be how to write a conference paper. A conference paper is often both a written document and an oral presentation. You may be asked to submit a copy of your paper to reviewer before you present at the conference. In order for your paper to follow the requirements for academic papers and oral presentations. Conference papers can be an effective way to try out new ideas and to introduce your research questions. I didn’t have experience with writing conference papers, however I’m glad I did learn it as it will become something I will most likely use in the future following grad school. When it came to our conference papers we were able to look Into journal articles and compare and contrast to improve our writing. With that information, we were able to write a more in depth paper that is refer as a journal manuscript. Our journal manuscript was a great opportunity for gaining valuable feedback from classmates and better our writing.

Overall this class allowed me to write more extensively on the topic I had chosen which in turn helped expand the size of my research paper. I’ve constantly received constant feedback from my professor and knew what I should fix and improve. When it came to the writing it. became a little trickier because I had to understand what it was I needed to write about and the style in which I need to write it in along with constantly researching a specific topic. The writing methods which I learned while attending this course were the rhetorical triangle, compare/contrast, proposal, process, developing research questions, how to find journal articles, and how to write a conference paper/journal manuscript. The only problems I encountered when trying to write the essays that were assigned to me by the instructor was finding suitable sources for my topic as my topic mainly focuses on men and masculinity in Iran. I learned a lot from this class and I know it can be shown within my writing.

Final Draft

Iranian men and masculinity; what people fail to understand

Masculinity and Femininity are two terms, which have been interpreted differently throughout history. Both males and females have ‘responsibilities and roles’ but these roles differ based on one’s gender. Gender has played a prodigious role in the economy, politics, and society. While the social construction of femininity has been widely examined, the dominant role of masculinity, has remained largely invisible. Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran’s image has been defined by its politics. In the media, Iranian women have been front and center in the frame. Iranian men, on the other hand, are absent from the picture. What is misunderstood of masculinity and how does it interplay between tradition?  Despite the issues Iranian women face, the topic of Iranian men and masculinity and the influence of traditional male stereotypes have on the perpetuation of gender inequality has not been addressed.

What do most people think when they hear the phrase “be a man?” well they most likely think they should toughen up and be strong. In society, traditional masculinity is characterized by violence, danger, promiscuity, and lack of emotions. A common concept that is often not discussed when examining men and masculinity is how much emphasis is put on the quality aspects of being a man. “When we define maleness, or masculinity, we are quick to assume that to be a man means being aggressive, loud, violent, and dominant. Even more, maleness and masculinity is often defined by one’s gender, their gender presentation, and how they perform maleness and masculinity.”(Higgins 2018) Throughout time we can see how specific roles were created for both genders and how that has shaped their place and status in society. These are called gender roles, these roles create a difference in the way that masculine and feminine behaviors are accepted among society. Gender roles are often depicted as just a part of who a person is and help better define the difference between male and female. When society begins to use these gender roles as norms we often see those who don’t fit into the correct role become excluded by society. “Therefore, the supposed differences between men and women are accentuated through the legitimation of social stereotypes. These stereotypes, presented as inherent, are influenced by the social environment to which one is subjected.” (Edwards 2015) These gender profiles of male and female are normalized that they create a problem within societies. For example, people don’t realize the misunderstood connections between the motives and the cause for the behavior of Iranian men among women in Iran.

Changes within society, unknowingly to some, have brought issues regarding gender stereotypes and shapes the male identity through exploitation. For example in Iran. Iran was not similar to other countries around the globe when it came to women’s rights. It was, however, a great deal harsher in its lack of equality than many other countries. “Women are not equal under Iran’s constitution, adopted in 1979 after the revolution that overthrew Shah Reza Pahlavi.” (Celizic 2007) Iranian men being the superior gender, society encourages males to analyze their socially constructed gender profiles and build on their ego. “Realising gender equality is strongly weighted on the contribution of males, because ‘… the very gender inequalities in economic assets, political power, cultural authority, and means of coercion that gender reform intend to change (ultimately) mean that men control most of the resources required to implement women’s claims for justice.”(Edwards 2015) Masculinity refers to cultural values, ideas and assumptions that surround the male identity, from this they learn these values and contribute to them in their everyday life. Iranian men are used to being dominant and in power, especially over women. As Feminism and Feminist Movements Following the 1979 Revolution progressed through the decades, I believe it may have targeted the masculinity of Iranian men. With the rise of women and sexuality representations in the media, masculinity of men was in question due to the social position of dominant men in a gendered world country. As others were soon gaining more respect, men are questioning their dominant role since it seems to no longer matter in a world that more accepting to others.

Masculinity like other kinds of social identity, is an ongoing construction between one’s self image and other perceptions of one. What many people fail to understand is how different types of socio-cultural norms influence how societies view what it means to be a man of which vary, and often include sexual identity, family life, as well as religious and cultural beliefs.“In order to aspire to this social classification, there is a particular set of core features that a man must demonstrate. These include: power/strength, rationality, heterosexuality, risk-taking, dominance, leadership, control, and repression of emotions.”(Edwards 2015) In this case, the socio-cultural norms in Iran influences behavior of Iranian men among women in Iran. Women who embody Iranian norms are oppressed and that Iranian men are the oppressor. However Iran glorification of male superiority is toxic because it encourages abuse, continues the idea that men are inherently violent, and sets several gender restrictions. Traditional Masculinity refers to a specific set of traits and behaviors that are considered culturally appropriate for manhood, some of which can become harmful in certain cases. “One of the main issues regarding gender equality is that men do not comprehensively understand how traditional masculinities disadvantage women. Many men are unaware they exist within socially constructed gender structures that disenfranchise subordinated gender profiles, and therefore do not recognise a problem.”(Edwards 2015) The glorification of male superiority makes it so men are raised to think violence and aggression are normal. This violence is inherent, but it is encouraged by society and families. By placing so much importance on traditional masculinity, we create a strict set of gender roles that forces Iranian men to comply by the risk of being ridiculed as “weak”. Patriarchy has created a country where men are raised to desire control, showing that sexism, homophobia, and even racism is systemic. In addition, the patriarchy hurts not only women, but also men, as it forces them to follow a fraile set of standards at the expense of being labelled as “weak”. Because for an Iranian man, they often feel the need to measure up to the masculine ideal of being strong, tough, dominant etc. One of the ways in which they do this is in supporting their families. For years, men have been the only provider of the household or the “breadwinner” while the women took care of the household and the children. Masculinity is something into which men are acculturated and is composed of social codes of behavior which they learn to reproduce in culturally appropriate ways.

“The social construction of gender is actually a system of power that not only divides men and women as masculine and feminine but typically also places men and masculinity above women and femininity and operates to value more highly those institutions and practices that are male dominated and/or representative of masculine traits and styles”(Edwards 2015) We see this with one of the larger gender norms, that men often feel the obligation to live up to, as said before, being the head of the household by supporting their wife and children financially. Though being the sole provider or the one who makes the money in the relationship may not seem like a big deal it gives men a sense of masculine identity. “As men dominate the public sphere and hold more decision-making power, women’s authority is mostly limited to the domestic space. Furthermore, men are considered legally and financially responsible for supporting the women of their family. This means women commonly get passed over for jobs, earn less and receive lower allowances as it is expected that their male family member will support them.”(Evason 2019) For some men, not being able to support their families financially on their own can have a large impact on their sense of masculinity. Men may have an even harder time dealing with their sense of masculinity when they’re told by their families that he can do better. These things do not seem like they should matter, but it often does have a large impact on how they see themselves. Working class men not only feel the need to support their families but there are other ways in which many choose to live up to their masculine ideal. Drinking can be “defined as a male and masculine behaviour”. Violence is another large aspect associated with being masculine. Men are expected to be tough, strong, unemotional and dominant and one way they chose to express these emotions is through violence. Gender roles, refers to society’s concept of how men and women are expected to act and behave. These gender roles are biological and social factors, and are simply a part of who they are and how they see themselves.

Male identity crisis is a rapidly developing problem among men in Iran. Male stereotypes affect the manner in which males engage with gender equality, and traditional masculinity acts as the dominant masculinity for men. The enactment of masculinity is a diverse, mobile, unstable construction of who males should be. The hegemonic masculinity is the dominant cultural expectation of men, it exaggerates what the perceived qualities a male should have and ultimately be in the face of perceived threats if they do not conform to them. Although different masculinities exist for men, the idea of traditional masculinity remains the most influential. Realising gender equality is difficult, because the fundamental characteristics exhibited by traditional masculinity defend against change. Gender defines the male form through incorporations of character traits such as strength, aggression, assertiveness and the value of reason over emotion. By closely examining men and their masculinity, patriarchy, culture and tradition, I hope I was able to shed a new light on how male stereotypes affect the manner in which males engage with gender equality. By explaining males and analysing their socially constructed gender profiles, it is possible to educate people on the rarely acknowledge of Irianian men and on how their social roles may impact gender equality.

Bibliography 

Celizic, Mike. “Beyond the Veil: Lives of Women in Iran.” TODAY.com, 13 Sept. 2007, https://www.today.com/news/beyond-veil-lives-women-iran-2D80555320.

Edwards, Aydon. “It’s a Man’s World: The Effect of Traditional Masculinity on Gender Equality.” e-Ir.info, 29 Mar. 2015, https://www.e-ir.info/2015/03/23/universal-securityemancipation-a-critique-of-ken-booth/.

Evason, Nina. “Iranian Culture – Family.” Culture Atlas, 2019, https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/iranian-culture/family-f72c2a4e-ffa9-42a7-b918-7445f1d9d6d9#family-f72c2a4e-ffa9-42a7-b918-7445f1d9d6d9.

Higgins, Jonathan P. “What Does It Mean to Be a Man?” The On Being Project, 27 June 2018, https://onbeing.org/blog/jonathan-p-higgins-what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-man/.

Peer Review

Hi Yessi,

This is a good start to a journal manuscript. You begin by pointing out a gap in the research. You explain that a lot of work has been done on women, but not on men. THen you say say that men are typically stereotyped as aggressive. You explain that in Iran, this is particulary pronounced–Iranian men expect to dominate women. Then you explain that this is a particular problem. Men are too dominant in Iran, it seems you are saying which causes problems. You reinforce that gender roles are strengthened by society and can cause problems.

I think there’s a lot to like about this paper. You have a lot of citations, which is good. But the thing I most admire and that you do best in the whole paper is that you clearly identify a gap in the research and address it. Just learning this one skill shows me you are growing as a writer.

Now, there are a few areas to improve on: most importantly I don’t see the research question / problem clearly delineated. I think you could do more work to clearly establish what problem / question you are exploring. I think because it is not clearly stated, it is not specific and so in the paper you lapse in generalities about how men are across the planet not just in Iran.

How could you clearly establish a research question in the paper to make the rest of it more specific?

While the gap in research is good, I want to see stronger research problems going forward into next semester.

There are some other issues to work on, but this is the key. If you need help, stop by office hours.

Best,
Mike

Journal Manuscript

Masculinity and Femininity are two terms, which have been interpreted differently throughout history. Both males and females have ‘responsibilities and roles’ but these roles differ based on one’s gender. Gender has played a prodigious role in the economy, politics, and society. While the social construction of femininity has been widely examined, the dominant role of masculinity, has remained largely invisible. Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran’s image has been defined by its politics. In the media, Iranian women have been front and center in the frame. Iranian men, on the other hand, are absent from the picture. Many people want to shed a light on gender inequality, and Iran is a country that has its ups and downs with gender inequality, with women lacking equality of all sorts. Despite the issues Iranian women face, the topic of Iranian men and masculinity and the influence of traditional male stereotypes have on the perpetuation of gender inequality also needs to be addressed.

What do most people think when they hear the phrase “be a man?” well they most likely think they should toughen up and be strong. In society, traditional masculinity is characterized by violence, danger, promiscuity, and lack of emotions. A common concept that is often not discussed when examining men and masculinity is how much emphasis is put on the quality aspects of being a man. “When we define maleness, or masculinity, we are quick to assume that to be a man means being aggressive, loud, violent, and dominant. Even more, maleness and masculinity is often defined by one’s gender, their gender presentation, and how they perform maleness and masculinity.”(Higgins 2018) Throughout time we can see how specific roles were created for both genders and how that has shaped their place and status in society. These are called gender roles, these roles create a difference in the way that masculine and feminine behaviors are accepted among society. Gender roles are often depicted as just a part of who a person is and help better define the difference between male and female. When society begins to use these gender roles as norms we often see those who don’t fit into the correct role become excluded by society. “Therefore, the supposed differences between men and women are accentuated through the legitimation of social stereotypes. These stereotypes, presented as inherent, are influenced by the social environment to which one is subjected.” (Edwards 2015) These gender profiles of male and female are normalized that they create a problem within societies. For example, people don’t realize the misunderstood connections between the motives and the cause for the behavior of Iranian men among women in Iran.

Changes within society, unknowingly to some, have brought issues regarding gender stereotypes and shapes the male identity through exploitation. For example in Iran. Iran was not similar to other countries around the globe when it came to women’s rights. It was, however, a great deal harsher in its lack of equality than many other countries. “Women are not equal under Iran’s constitution, adopted in 1979 after the revolution that overthrew Shah Reza Pahlavi.” (Celizic 2007) Iranian men being the superior gender, society encourages males to analyze their socially constructed gender profiles and build on their ego. “Realising gender equality is strongly weighted on the contribution of males, because ‘… the very gender inequalities in economic assets, political power, cultural authority, and means of coercion that gender reform intend to change (ultimately) mean that men control most of the resources required to implement women’s claims for justice.”(Edwards 2015) Masculinity refers to cultural values, ideas and assumptions that surround the male identity, from this they learn these values and contribute to them in their everyday life. Iranian men are used to being dominant and in power, especially over women. As Feminism and Feminist Movements Following the 1979 Revolution progressed through the decades, I believe it may have targeted the masculinity of Iranian men. With the rise of changing gender and sexuality representations in the media, masculinity of men was in question due to the social position of dominant men in a gendered world country. 

Masculinity like other kinds of social identity, is an ongoing construction between one’s self image and other perceptions of one. What many people fail to understand is how different types of socio-cultural norms influence how societies view what it means to be a man of which vary, and often include sexual identity, family life, as well as religious and cultural beliefs.“In order to aspire to this social classification, there is a particular set of core features that a man must demonstrate. These include: power/strength, rationality, heterosexuality, risk-taking, dominance, leadership, control, and repression of emotions.”(Edwards 2015) In this case, the socio-cultural norms in Iran influences behavior of Iranian men among women in Iran. Women who embody Iranian norms are oppressed and that Iranian men are the oppressor. However Iran glorification of male superiority is toxic because it encourages abuse, continues the idea that men are inherently violent, and sets several gender restrictions. Traditional Masculinity refers to a specific set of traits and behaviors that are considered culturally appropriate for manhood, some of which can become harmful in certain cases. “One of the main issues regarding gender equality is that men do not comprehensively understand how traditional masculinities disadvantage women. Many men are unaware they exist within socially constructed gender structures that disenfranchise subordinated gender profiles, and therefore do not recognise a problem.”(Edwards 2015) The glorification of male superiority makes it so men are raised to think violence and aggression are normal. This violence is inherent, but it is encouraged by society and families. By placing so much importance on traditional masculinity, we create a strict set of gender roles that forces Iranian men to comply by the risk of being ridiculed as “weak”. Patriarchy has created a country where men are raised to desire control, showing that sexism, homophobia, and even racism is systemic. In addition, the patriarchy hurts not only women, but also men, as it forces them to follow a fraile set of standards at the expense of being labelled as “weak”. Because for an Iranian man, they often feel the need to measure up to the masculine ideal of being strong, tough, dominant etc. One of the ways in which they do this is in supporting their families. For years, men have been the only provider of the household or the “breadwinner” while the women took care of the household and the children. Masculinity is something into which men are acculturated and is composed of social codes of behavior which they learn to reproduce in culturally appropriate ways.

“The social construction of gender is actually a system of power that not only divides men and women as masculine and feminine but typically also places men and masculinity above women and femininity and operates to value more highly those institutions and practices that are male dominated and/or representative of masculine traits and styles”(Edwards 2015) We see this with one of the larger gender norms, that men often feel the obligation to live up to, as said before, being the head of the household by supporting their wife and children financially. Though being the sole provider or the one who makes the money in the relationship may not seem like a big deal it gives men a sense of masculine identity. “As men dominate the public sphere and hold more decision-making power, women’s authority is mostly limited to the domestic space. Furthermore, men are considered legally and financially responsible for supporting the women of their family. This means women commonly get passed over for jobs, earn less and receive lower allowances as it is expected that their male family member will support them.”(Evason 2019) For some men, not being able to support their families financially on their own can have a large impact on their sense of masculinity. Men may have an even harder time dealing with their sense of masculinity when they’re told by their families that he can do better. These things do not seem like they should matter, but it often does have a large impact on how they see themselves. Working class men not only feel the need to support their families but there are other ways in which many choose to live up to their masculine ideal. Drinking can be “defined as a male and masculine behaviour”. Violence is another large aspect associated with being masculine. Men are expected to be tough, strong, unemotional and dominant and one way they chose to express these emotions is through violence. Gender roles, refers to society’s concept of how men and women are expected to act and behave. These gender roles are biological and social factors, and are simply a part of who they are and how they see themselves.

Male identity crisis is a rapidly developing problem among men in Iran. Male stereotypes affect the manner in which males engage with gender equality, and traditional masculinity acts as the dominant masculinity for men. The enactment of masculinity is a diverse, mobile, unstable construction of who males should be. The hegemonic masculinity is the dominant cultural expectation of men, it exaggerates what the perceived qualities a male should have and ultimately be in the face of perceived threats if they do not conform to them. Although different masculinities exist for men, the idea of traditional masculinity remains the most influential. Realising gender equality is difficult, because the fundamental characteristics exhibited by traditional masculinity defend against change. Gender defines the male form through incorporations of character traits such as strength, aggression, assertiveness and the value of reason over emotion. By closely examining men and their masculinity, patriarchy, culture and tradition, I hope I was able to shed a new light on how male stereotypes affect the manner in which males engage with gender equality. By explaining males and analysing their socially constructed gender profiles, it is possible to educate people on the rarely acknowledge of Irianian men and on how their social roles may impact gender equality.

Publication Research

In my conference proposal, I claimed that the topic of Iranian men and masculinities has been significantly understudied. My paper addressed the issue of the interplay between ethnicity and masculinity. I go on to explain that within Iranian culture, men are pressured by tradition and society for their masculinity. Masculinity like other kinds of social identity, is an ongoing construction between one’s self image and other perceptions of one. Due to different types of socio-cultural norms, it shapes how societies view what it means to be a man. Iranian men are shaped by religious and cultural beliefs.

Socially Unfit or Unfit Society?: Identifying Monstrosity in Medieval Scandinavian Literature by Ryan Kamkar is a journal article about the term “monster” and how it can define an individual who has an unusual or unacceptable behavior or appearance. With this definition, the word is used by society as a label to those who do not fit into its criteria of normalcy. However The question of what a monster truly is relies on the context of society. Ryan Kamkar goes on to explain that the term “monster” is subjective depending on the society to which it is being applied. He gives several examples from movies and other sources and as well of defining the term monster itself to help support his claim. “One great example of this phenomenon is illustrated in the Pixar film Monster’s Inc., which portrays a society wherein individuals whom humans would perceive as monsters are normalized and humans themselves are formidable.” Which in my paper I lacked, I made claims but did not support them with examples.

Mine and Ryan’s paper are both similar in the sense of describing societies expectations and what is acceptable. We live in a world where we do not want to stand out because that is considered wrong. We want people to accept us, but we cannot do that when we do not fit in. As I describe how gender idealized the male form through incorporations of character traits such as strength, aggression, assertiveness and the value of reason over emotion. By having such traits you are accepted into society’s gender expectations. While Iranian men are shaped by society for their toxic masculinity, Ryan goes on to describe how depending on different societies, each have their own perspective of what a monster is. This is similar because depending on different backgrounds and societies it manages to shape the qualities of what that norm includes. Such as how Iran culture norms and traditions and beliefs have shaped the qualities of what a man should have and what they must live up to. 

Depending on society, one’s self image and identity may be influenced to fit into its criteria of normalcy. Ryan Kamkar did an excellent job trying to prove this claim by not only providing different examples of what he has proposed but also he opened up by demonstrating that this is a universal thing. As I focused on Iranian men specifically, I could as well described and explained where masculinity comes from and other examples outside of Iran to help deepen the claims I make along with using several different sources and examples to help my audience get a better understanding of what the term was and how it’s differently influenced depending on sexual identity, family life, as well as religious and cultural beliefs.

Link: http://www.apollonejournal.org/apollon-journal//socially-unfit-or-unfit-society-identifying-monstrosity-in-medieval-scandinavian-literature

Conference Paper

Masculinity and Femininity are two terms, which have been interpreted differently throughout history. Both males and females have ‘responsibilities and roles’ but these roles differ based on one’s gender. Gender has played a prodigious role in the economy, politics, and society. While the social construction of femininity has been widely examined, the dominant role of masculinity, has remained largely invisible. Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran’s image has been defined by its politics. In the media, Iranian women have been front and center in the frame. Iranian men, on the other hand, are absent from the picture, unless they are politicians or directors of movies. Many people want to shed a light on gender inequality, Iran is a country that has its ups and downs with gender inequality, with women lacking equality of all sorts. Despite the issues Iranian women face, the topic of Iranian men and masculinity has been significantly understudied.

What do most people think when they hear the phrase “be a man?” well they most likely think they should toughen up and be strong. In society, traditional masculinity is characterized by violence, danger, promiscuity, and lack of emotions. Society, unknowingly to some, shapes the male identity through exploitation. Iran was not similar to other countries around the globe when it came to women’s rights. It was, however, a great deal harsher in its lack of equality than many other countries. Women are not equal under Iran’s constitution, adopted in 1979 after the revolution that overthrew Shah Reza Pahlavi. (Mike Celizic, Beyond the veil: Lives of women in Iran) Iranian men being the superior gender, society encourages males to analyze their socially constructed gender profiles and build on their ego. Masculinity refers to cultural values, ideas and assumptions that surround the male identity, from this they learn these values and contribute to them in their everyday life. Iranian men are used to being dominant and in power, especially over women. As Feminism and Feminist Movements Following the 1979 Revolution progressed through the decades, I believe it may have targeted the masculinity of Iranian men. With the rise of changing gender and sexuality representations in the media, masculinity of men was in question due to the social position of dominant men in a gendered world country. 

Masculinity like other kinds of social identity, is an ongoing construction between one’s self image and other perceptions of one. What many people fail to understand is how different types of socio-cultural norms influence how societies view what it means to be a man of which vary, and often include sexual identity, family life, as well as religious and cultural beliefs. In this case, the socio-cultural norms in Iran influences behavior of Iranian men among women in Iran. Women who embody Iranian norms are oppressed and that Iranian men are the oppressor. However Iran glorification of male superiority is toxic because it encourages abuse, continues the idea that men are inherently violent, and sets several gender restrictions. Traditional Masculinity refers to a specific set of traits and behaviors that are considered culturally appropriate for manhood, some of which can become harmful in certain cases. (Amanda Mull, Psychology Has a New Approach to Building Healthier Men) The glorification of male superiority makes it so men are raised to think violence and aggression are normal. This violence is inherent, but it is encouraged by society and families. By placing so much importance on traditional masculinity, we create a strict set of gender roles that forces Iranian men to comply by the risk of being ridiculed as “weak”. Patriarchy has created a country where men are raised to desire control, showing that sexism, homophobia, and even racism is systemic. In addition, the patriarchy hurts not only women, but also men, as it forces them to follow a fraile set of standards at the expense of being labelled as “weak”. Because for an Iranian man, they often feel the need to measure up to the masculine ideal of being strong, tough, dominant etc. One of the ways in which they do this is in supporting their families. For years, men have been the only provider of the household or the “breadwinner” while the women took care of the household and the children. Masculinity is something into which men are acculturated and is composed of social codes of behavior which they learn to reproduce in culturally appropriate ways.

One large gender norm that men often feel the obligation to live up to, as said before, is being the head of the household by supporting their wife and children financially. Though being the sole provider or the one who makes the money in the relationship may not seem like a large deal it gives men a sense of masculine identity. For some men, not being able to support their families financially on their own can have a large impact on their sense of masculinity. Men may have an even harder time dealing with their sense of masculinity when they’re told by their families that he can do better. These things do not seem like they should matter, but it often does have a large impact on how they see themselves. Working class men not only feel the need to support their families but there are other ways in which many choose to live up to their masculine ideal. Drinking can be “defined as a male and masculine behaviour”. Violence is another large aspect associated with being masculine. Men are expected to be tough, strong, unemotional and dominant and one way they chose to express these emotions is through violence.

Male identity crisis is a rapidly developing problem among men in Iran. The enactment of masculinity is a diverse, mobile, unstable construction of who males should be. The hegemonic masculinity is the dominant cultural expectation of men, it exaggerates what the perceived qualities a male should have and ultimately be in the face of perceived threats if they do not conform to them. Gender idealized the male form through incorporations of character traits such as strength, aggression, assertiveness and the value of reason over emotion. In the last decade, media studies have understood masculinity as ‘both a product and process of representation’. By closely examining men and their masculinity, patriarchy, culture and tradition, I hope I was able to shed a new light on gender systems with the rarely acknowledge topic of Iranian men within Iranian studies. 

Conference Paper Proposal

Association For Iranian Studies (AIS)

12th Biennial Conference at UC Irvine (Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture):

Iranian Men and Masculinities 

CFP: https://www.academia.edu/34088163/CFP_Association_for_Iranian_Studies_AIS_Call_for_Papers_for_a_Seminar_series_of_panels_on_Iranian_Men_and_Masculinities_Organizers

Proposal:

The topic of Iranian men and masculinities has been significantly understudied, as others concentrate on Iranian women and femininities we lack the knowledge of understanding men, masculinities and the roles of men in bringing about gender equality. My paper addresses the issue of the interplay between ethnicity and masculinity while also addressing masculinity within Iranian culture, tradition and the arts. Masculinity like other kinds of social identity, is an ongoing construction between one’s self image and other perceptions of one. What many people fail to understand is how different types of socio-cultural norms influence how societies view what it means to be a man of which vary, and often include sexual identity, family life, as well as religious and culture beliefs. I will be looking at different types of masculinity, such as hegemonic and non-hegemonic masculinities, marginalized masculinities, resistant masculinities, newly emergent forms of masculinity, and ethnic/ radicalized/ class-based masculinities. By describing the different types of masculinity, I’ll be able to reveal the misunderstood connections between the motives and the cause for their behavior of Iranian men among women in Iran. I argue that Iranian men are displaced from being a topic for research, from having the position of dominance, it caused Iranian women into a position of being a topic for the gaze of others. In conclusion, this project, by closely examining men and their masculinity, patriarchy, culture and tradition, it will be able to shed a new light on gender systems with the rarely acknowledge topic of Iranian men within Iranian studies.