Ecomasculinities

Reviews / Votes

If American masculinity has been historically grounded in "taming" nature, and environmentalism synonymous with "feminized regulation," then how can men articulate a relationship with nature? We hardly need an eco-masculinist hero-"Eco-Man to the Rescue!"-and these careful readings of recent American fiction show men's fitful efforts to define a relationship as cohabitors on an increasingly fragile planet. Ecomascuinities, carefully constructed, are a necessary part of our survival. -- Michael Kimmel, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies, Stony Brook University To critically interrogate the historically 'unmarked category' of ecomasculinities is to strive for better understandings of the Western imagination and its ecological malaise. This rich volume highlights the importance of the literary in the urgent endeavour of reformulating relationships between men and the more-than-human. It will inform timely debates in ecocriticism, gender studies and cultural studies. -- Richard Twine, Edge Hill University Ecomasculinities addresses a significant gap in both the masculinities literature and eco-criticism. Informed by ecofeminist critiques of men's exploitation of nature and the links between dominant forms of masculinity and ecological destruction, the editors and contributors draw upon fictional representations of diverse masculinities to envisage new non-exploitative relations between men and nature. In doing so, they provide inspiration for men in the real world to transform dominant masculinities and to foster a feminist-informed ethic of care for the environment and all living beings. -- Bob Pease, Honorary Professor, School of Humanities and Social Science, Deakin University