Young Men and Masculinities Global Cultures and Intimate Lives

The lives of young men in a globalised world are influenced by the mass circulation of images of men's bodies, desires and sexualities, and the cultural masculinities of particular histories, cultures and traditions. Questioning universalist theories of 'hegemonic masculinities', Young Men and Masculinities argues that young men often feel caught between prevailing masculinities and how they want to define themselves. It explores how the idea of men as 'the First Sex' has been established within the West and how young men affirm their male identities in different cultures and societies. It draws on the experience of young men in different continents in creating their own male identities and establishing more equal relationships within a world of intense inequalities.

Victor Jeleniewski Seidler is Professor of Social Theory in the Department of Sociology, Goldsmiths College, University of London.