Hegemonic masculinity describes a gender order theory that recognizes multiple masculinities that are different from individual, time, and culture. It is defined as a norm or practice that legitimizes that justifies male dominance and support or justifies women subordination and other marginalized concepts of being a man. Generally, hegemonic masculinity attempts to explain why men have maintained their dominant social responsibilities over various gender identities that are believed to be ‘feminine' in various cultures. It is a means through which a particular social group acquires and sustains a dominant and leading role in the social and cultural hierarchy. However, it is a concept that continues to change and has been criticized by many people. The notion of hegemonic masculinity was initially proposed from research on social inequalities existing in Australian High school and the debate regarding the role of men in various social and political settings such as Australian labor politics. The research showed that there were multiple hierarchies both in gender and class terms.
Various studies carried out from the 1980s showed that there was a power structure research focusing on political sociology and had a spotlight on the dominant social groups. Hegemonic masculinity emerged as a pattern of process or practice that encouraged the dominance of men over women to persist. Hegemonic masculinity differentiated itself from other forms of masculinities because a minority of men enacts the concept. It explains certain honored ways of being a man, and it encouraged other men to associate themselves with the concept. Therefore, it ideologically legitimized the international or global dominance of men over women and the global women subordination to men. Hegemony does not require violence, but it may use force to enact its concepts. It required ascendancy acquired or achieved through persuasion, culture, and social institutions. Hegemonic masculinity appears to have displaced some of the older forms of masculinity.
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The concept has various applications in the academic field. Hegemonic masculinity may be used in education studies to evaluate dynamics in classroom life such as bullying and resistance among boys. The concept was used to evaluate teacher identities and teacher strategies among various groups such as physical education instructors. Hegemonic masculinity had an impact in criminology because it indicated that boys and men were highly likely to commit white collar, syndicated, and conventional forms of crime than do girls and women. The concept assisted in evaluating the media representation of men such as war imagery and interplay of sports. It also assisted in studying organizational gender character and the discussion of various professional practices. It has diverse applications in law, discussions of art, geography, and men’s gender politics. The concept has gained international recognition according to studies in various countries such as Mexico, Japan, and Chile.
However, the concept has received various forms of criticisms such as its underlying concept of masculinity, the pattern of gender relations, ambiguity and overlap, the masculine subject, and the issue of realness. There are certain ideas of hegemonic masculinity that should be rejected while others should be reviewed. Also, some aspects of hegemonic masculinity that focus on fixed character types, or the assembly of certain toxic traits should be rejected. Most developed countries are making a shift from neoliberalism or radical market agendas to neo-conservatism or addition of popular appeals to security, religion, and ethnocentrism. In the emerging countries, globalization has exposed local gender and regional orders to increased pressure for transformation especially among certain groups of rich and powerful men. New ideas regarding hegemony are being formed internationally. As the traditional masculinity and patriarchal social orders are being contested and criticized, most societies are shifting to hegemonic masculinity to retain male dominance in modern societies.
