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WS 309 (Special Topics)
Dr. Ann Braithwaite
Main 504
Main 521 (Women’s Studies and Sociology/Anthropology secretary)
T & Th 12:45-2:30; W 1:00-3:00; F (I’m on campus all afternoon, but often in meetings etc.; give me a try anyways); or by appointment
(628) - 4312 abraithwaite@upei.ca
(the best way to reach me)
What is masculinity? What is the purpose of this field of study—and for whom? What does it mean to make masculinity visible—both in relation to its presumed opposite, femininity, but also in its multiplicity—as masculinities, in the plural? Is masculinity really in “crisis” and if so, what constitutes that crisis? What are some approaches to the study of masculinity—and where does this study take place? Is masculinity studies necessary to Women’s (Gender, etc) Studies; is it a complement, an attack, a reaction, or something else in relation to this field? What is the relationship between the study of masculinities and “feminist” theorizing generally? How have masculinities been represented in popular culture? How are masculinities always “intersectional”—intercut by ideas about race, sexuality, national identity, etc.? What is the relationship between masculinity and “maleness” or “malebodiedness,” and what is meant by “non-male masculinities?” In this course, we will explore the above questions through a wide range of readings, topics, approaches, and theories, as a way into contemplating some of the broad issues raised in this new-ish field.
The class schedule for this course is available through the library reserves page, under the course title WS
309.The location of all readings is clearly marked on this webpage – with links provided if they are available.
This course uses one “textbook” and many additional readings, available either via electronic reserve, as a photocopy on reserve at the circulation desk, or as a website—all clearly indicated on the class ereserves page. I highly recommend that you get all your readings for the semester early on and put them all together in a big binder or folder, as your own course reader. Note that all the photocopies on reserve are compiled as one set of readings.
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Book – available in the UPEI bookstore (in about 3 weeks): Reeser, Todd W. Masculinities in Theory:
An Introduction. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
Students must always bring their readings to class; we will often start off by looking at them, either together or in group work. Students must also have completed all of the week’s readings by Tuesday’s class meeting, as we will be discussing the readings as a whole on both class days. And be aware – in order to do well in this class, it is essential to keep up on all the readings, in addition to regular class attendance and participation. This is a 300 level course; there are, on average, 35-45 pages of reading a week.
Note also that while we will try and stay on schedule, it may become necessary to wrap up our discussion on one week’s readings in the following week, or to adjust our syllabus from time to time. Don’t wipe your heads clean of any set of readings until we are done with them (and of course, preferably never…  ). If you

should miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out if we have changed anything on the syllabus for the next week. Ask a trusted class-mate… You must also check the Moodle page for this class every week, as I will use it if I need to post updates, changes, etc. to the syllabus. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are up to date on what is happening in the class.
Week 1: January 5
Introduction to class, syllabus, etc.
Week 2: January 10-12 Theorizing Masculinity/ies
Reeser, Todd W. “Theorizing Masculinity.” 17-54 (text; handout)
“Masculinity Studies.” In International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. 2008 - http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3045301475.html
Week 3: January 17-19 Crisis/Whose Crisis?
Film screening on your own – Tough Guise, with Jackson Katz; dir: Sut Jhally, Media Education
Foundation, 1999 - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9632437500432634
Whitehead, Stephen. “A Crisis of Masculinity or a Moral Panic?” In Men and Masculinities: Key Themes
and New Directions. Boston, MA: Polity Press, 2002. 47-59 - http://books.google.ca/books?id=UsDAzSPBOBAC&pg=PR6&lpg=PR6&dq=%EF%82%A7%09Stephen+M.+Whi tehead+%282002%29+%E2%80%9CA+Crisis+of+Masculinity+or+a+Moral+Panic?%E2%80%9D&source=bl&ots=
BJUw9VDZkv&sig=Hhy0m1v9ucpABwGu6inSSFl3rGU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=vKMDT4nRCaHK0AGjmpmLAg&ved=
0CDAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false
Kimmel, Michael. “Has ‘A Man’s World’ Become ‘A Woman’s Nation’?” In Misframing Men: The Politics
of Contemporary Masculiniites. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2010. 15-37 (photocopy on reserve)
Heartfield, James. “There is No Masculinity Crisis.” In Genders 35. 2002 - http://www.colorado.edu/AmStudies/lewis/film/nomalecrisis.pdf
Week 4: January 24-26 Some Responses to “Crisis”
Ferber, Abby. “Racial Warriors and Weekend Warriors: The Construction of Masculinity in Mythopoetic and White Supremacist Discourse.” In Peter F. Murphy, ed. Feminism and Masculiniites. New York:
Oxford University Press, 2004. 228-243 (electronic reading)
Kimmel, Michael. “Promise Keepers: Patriarchy’s Second Coming as Masculine Renewal.” In Misframing
Men: The Politics of Contemporary Masculiniites. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2010.
163-172 (photocopy on reserve)
Tarrant, Shira. “Overview and Introductions: This is What a Feminist Looks Like.” In Men and Feminism.
Berkeley, CA: Seal Press, 2009. 1-25 (photocopy on reserve)

Week 5: January 31-February 2 Masculinities in Pop Culture
Gallagher, Mark. “Introduction: Popular Representations of Active Masculinity since the Late 1960s.” In
Action Figures: Men, Action Films, and Contemporary Adventure Narratives. New York: Palgrave
MacMillan, 2006. 1-19 (electronic reading/ebook)
Chaudhry, Lakshmi. “Men Growing Up to be Boys.” In In These Times. March 2006 - http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2526/
Ervin, Margaret. “The Might of the Metrosexual: How a Mere Marketing Tool Challenges Hegemonic
Masculinity.” In Elwood Watson and Marc E. Shaw, eds. Performing American Masculinities: The 21
Century Man in Popular Culture. Bloomington IN: Indiana University Press, 2011. 58-75 (electronic st reading)
Week 6: February 7-9 …con’t – representing male/men politicians
Shaw, Marc E. and Elwood Watson. “Obama’s Masculinities: A Landscape of Essential Contradictions.”
In Performing American Masculinities: The 21 st Century Man in Popular Culture. Bloomington IN:
Indiana University Press, 2011. 134-152 (electronic reading)
Messner, Michael. “The Masculinity of the Governator: Muscle and Compassion in American Politics.” In
Gender and Society 21 no.4 (August 2007): 461-480 (electronic access)
Week 7: February 14-16: Which Bodies…Whose Bodies…?
MIDTERM PAPER DUE, FRIDAY, FEB. 17, 3:00PM
Reeser, Todd W. “Sexing Masculinity” and “Theorizing the Male Body.” 72-118 (text)
Fausto-Sterling, Anne. “How To Build A Man.” In Vernon Rosario, ed. Science and Homosexualities. New
York: Routledge, 1997. 219-225 (electronic reading)
Week 8: February 21-23
Winter Break! No classes… work on your presentations!
Week 9: February 28-March 1 “Other” Masculinities
Reeser, Todd W. “Masculinity and Racialized Subjectivities” and “Interracial Masculinities.” 144-170 and 200-215 (text)
Week 10: March 6-8 Nation/al Masculinities
Reeser, Todd W. “Masculinity and the Nation.” 171-199 (text)
Beasley, Chris. “Rethinking Hegemonic Masculinity in a Globalizing World.” In Men and Masculinities 11 no. 1 (October 2008): 86-103 (electronic access)
Week 11: March 13-15 “Queer/ing” Masculinity
Reeser, Todd W. “Masculinity in Disguise.” 119-130 (text)
Heasley, Robert. “Queer Masculinities of Straight Men: A Typology.” In Men and Masculinities 7 no. 3.
(January 2005): 310-320 (electronic access)
Pascoe, C.J. “’Dude, You’re a Fag’: Adolescent Male Sexuality and the Fag Discourse.” In Sexualities
8 no. 3 (July 2005): 329-346 (electronic access)

Week 12: March 20-22 Non-Male Masculinities
Reeser, Todd W. “Non-Male Masculinities.” 131-143 (text)
Noble, Bobby. “Our Bodies are not Ourselves: Tranny Guys and the Racialized Class Politics of
Embodiment.” In Krista Scott-Dixon, ed. Trans/forming Feminisms: Trans-feminist Voices Speak Out.
Toronto: Sumach Press, 2006. 95-104 (electronic reading/ebook)
[film screening TBA: Venus Boyz or You Don’t Know Dick]
Week 13: March 27-29 in class presentations…
Week 14: April 3-5 …in class presentations
And some room built in here for snow days etc too!
1) Critical reflection and discussion papers – 2 total – 20%: You will each sign up (next week) for writing two critical reflection/discussion papers throughout the semester (based on that week’s readings).
These papers will be posted on Moodle for everyone in the class to also look at. More details in class.
Due dates: as you sign up for
2) (Pairs) presentation – 20%: As indicated above, the last two weeks or so of class time are dedicated to presentations, done in pairs, 15min max., on something related to one of the week’s above. More details in class. Due date: Everyone must be ready by March 27th, as I will randomly select people to present.
3) Midterm essay – 25%: More details in class. Due date: Friday, February 10, 3:00pm
4) ‘Research’ Paper – 35%: More details in class. Due date: Wednesday, April 11, 3:00pm
How this class runs:
There are many ways of organizing and running a class, as you will or have no doubt seen and experienced. This course is based on the idea that we will learn best by working together to discuss ideas and concepts raised in the readings, and to explore their implications and consequences for understanding more about our daily lives. This of course means that you must all come to class every week with all the readings for that week carefully done by the Tuesday class time, and that you are prepared to talk in detail about them. I do not lecture for an entire class period; rather, I expect us all to talk together about the readings and what they are saying, and to then engage with them in a variety of ways. This is not a class for passive learning (or learners); be prepared to be part of a learning community here – one in which we are all learners from the readings and from each other – and where we have fun doing that too.
Cell phones and laptops:
Because this course depends on your active and engaged presence (physical and mental), absolutely no cell phone use will be tolerated during class time. If I see you using your phone at all, I will call you on it/take it away/ask you to leave class. Please make sure your phones are turned off when you walk into

class; if you must be available for some reason (family emergencies, etc.), turn your phone to vibrate mode. There is also no laptop use in this class.
Moodle: (moodle.upei.ca)
As with all your classes, there is a Moodle site for this class. It is your responsibility to check it every week; I will post updates about what is going on in class, in addition to other resources to look at
(youtube clips etc if I find something, or if one of you sends me something you think works with the class, etc), etc. Moodle is as much a part of every week’s materials as are the readings themselves – don’t forget to check it!
Other expectations:
I expect you to come to class on time and stay for the whole class; walking in and out during class is disruptive for all. If, under some very rare circumstance, you know you’ll have to leave early, you should sit by the door and leave very quietly. I also expect that you won’t listen to music, chatter with your friends about non related matters, etc. during class; I’m not shy about telling you to stop or to leave  .
Please also ensure, if your UPEI email account is not the one you use regularly, that you have changed your information on your login page so that all mail sent to your UPEI address gets automatically forwarded. It is your responsibility to ensure that you get any email I may send to that address.
Assignments are due on the day specified, to me personally or in my mailbox on the top floor of Main; do not slide any papers under the door of my office. And do not email me your assignment; I will not print it out or read it. All assignments must be typed, in Times New Roman 12 point font only, and must be stapled together; no plastic or other covers. Please also make note of the marking scale below, for your added information in doing the assignments. Any assignment that does not meet the requirements will be handed back to you unmarked – and accrue late penalties. Additionally, when indicated on the assignment, I take substantial note of grammar, spelling, sentence structure and style, organization of argument, etc. Understanding an argument well is evidenced at least in part by the ability to express it cogently. There is a University Writing Center available to help all students with their writing assignments.
A+ (4.3)
A (4.0)
A- (3.7)
91-100
85-90
80-84
Exceptional
Excellent
Extremely good
* An A denotes work that is of exceptional quality. Exceptional quality is represented by evidence of complex engagement with information and ideas in course materials and discussion, outstanding capacity to analyze and synthesize, thoroughness and careful thinking, integration of material across topics, appropriate tone, and precise and artful writing (i.e. good spelling, grammar, organization, structure). An ‘A’ paper has hardly any pencil markings from me on it….
B+ (3.3)
B (3.0)
B- (2.7)
77-79
74-76
70-73
Very good
Good
Fairly good
* A grade of B denotes work that is above average vis-à-vis both your peers' work and the expectations of the assignment. Above average is represented by evidence of a critical capacity and analytical ability, a reasonably astute understanding of relevant issues and demonstration that you

grasp the subject matter, and evidence of familiarity with the literature. Good writing, with only minor stylistic or grammatical errors.
C+ (2.3)
C (2.0)
C- (1.7)
67-69
64-66
60-63
More than adequate
Adequate
Minimum for good academic standing
* A C denotes work that fulfills the requirements in an average and adequate way. Average and adequate is defined as demonstrating some understanding of the subject matter and a grasp of the basics of the course content, but without the kinds of thinking and connections in the above categories. Writing is marked by stylistic and grammatical errors, and by confusion in structure, organization, and tone of argument. A mark somewhere in this range is usually the average in any class.
D+ (1.3)
D (1.0)
D- (0.7)
57-59
54-56
50-53
Below good standing
Minimally acceptable
Barely acceptable
* A grade of D denotes work that does not adequately fulfill either content or structure requirements. Either does not contain enough specifics to demonstrate grasp and understanding of the course materials and theories, or is marked by too many writing problems.
F 0-49 Below university requirements
* An F denotes work that does not deserve credit or is not handed in.