Given the substantial impact of feminism on children's literature and culture during the last quarter century, it comes as no surprise that gender studies have focused predominantly on issues of female representation. The question of how the same patriarchal ideology structured representations of male bodies and behaviors was until very recently a marginal discussion. Now that masculinity has emerges as an overt theme in children's literature and film, critical consideration of the subject is timely, if not long overdue.

Ways of Being Male addresses this new concern in an unprecedented collection of essays examining how contemporary debates about masculinity are reflected in fiction and film for young adults. An outstanding team of scholars elucidates the ways in which different versions of male identity are constructed and presented to young audiences. The contributors, drawn from a variety of academic disciplines, employ international discourses in literary criticism, feminism, social sciences, film theory, psychoanalytic criticism, and queer theory in their wide-ranging exploration of male representation. With its illuminating array of perspectives, this pioneering survey brings a long neglected subject into sharp focus.

About the Author

John Stephens is Professor in English at Macquarie University, Australia

Reviews

Vol. 29 No.3
"This book positions us on the right track to understanding the multiple and complex "ways of being male." -- Jeffrey B. Leak, Children'sLiterature Association Quarterly

Book Information
ISBN 9780415995153
Author John Stephens
Format Paperback
Page Count 276
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 510g