Underlying the process by which Japan emerged as a global industrial power in the twentieth century was a particularly powerful ideology of gender and sexuality which equated masculinity with the public/work sphere and femininity with the private household sphere. Within this ideological framework, the archetypal male citizen - indeed, the ‘ideal’ male citizen - over the post-World War Two decades came to be represented by the ‘salaryman’ (sarariirnan, in Japanese). The term referred to permanent, predominantly white-collar, male private-sector employees, who were seen as being the foot-soldiers, the kigyô senshi (‘corporate warriors’) of Japan’s high-speed economic growth over the 1960s, 1970s. and even into the 1980s. Even after the slowing down of economic growth from the 1990s. the salaryman, and all that the discourse of masculinity built up around him represented, has continued to exert a powerful presence on the social landscape. This is despite the fact that, even at the high-point of economic growth in the 1960s and 1970s, only a minority of men would have fallen within the strictest definitional parameters of the term. However, it was the discourse associated with the salaryman - one infused with the gender ideology of the male breadwinner - that was far more extensive in its reach. In this respect the form of masculinity associated with the salaryman may be regarded as what R.W. Connell terms ‘hegemonic masculinity’. / This thesis explores the ways in which the discourse of salaryman masculinity became the hegemonic form of masculinity in Japan over the postwar decades, and the ways in which it continues to operate in present-day Japan. In exploring the dynamics at work, the thesis draws attention to the fact that rather than being some kind of immutable, biologically determined ‘given’, masculinity is a constantly shifting process. Indeed, rather than a single overarching masculinity, there are multiple masculinities at work. It is within the context of this matrix of masculinities that one particular form - the hegemonic masculinity - has the greatest ideological power. However hegemonic masculinity itself has to be constantly ‘crafted’ and ‘re-crafted’ through engagements with other masculinities. This occurs both at the wider societal level, and at the level of the individual. Consequently the discussion in this thesis is carried out at both the ‘macro’ societal level, and at the ‘micro’ level of the individual. The former level of analysis situates the emergence of the discourse of salaryman masculinity within the historical framework of Japan’s modernization and nation-building project, and also examines the ways in which socio-cultural spaces such as popular culture were, and continue to be, significant in the process. The second level of analysis explores the dynamics of the ‘crafting’ of hegemonic masculinity at the level of the individual male. The discussion draws upon intensive interviews carried out with young male employees of two private sector civilization, during an eighteen-month period of fieldwork. / It explores the ways in which these informants negotiate with the ideological expectations of salaryman masculinity vis-a-vis their own masculine identities, expectations which encompass various aspects of their lives. The discussion at both the ‘macro’ and micro’ level of analysis reveals that the dynamics of ‘crafting’ masculinity, rather than being a tidy, easy-to-categorize process, are infused with ambiguity, contradictions, richness, and nuance. It is through these contradictions that the contours of hegemonic masculinity are shaped and re-shaped.

The aim of this thesis is to study male questioning of masculinity. The study of the questioning will be conducted through a literature study, that will be done using an anthology that holds a critical perspective towards masculinity. The study of the questioning, will be done through mapping the most common patterns within the questioning together with patterns in the form used for presenting the questioning. Apart from the focus on the questioning and its form, which norms that are being questioned will also be studied. Apart from the focuses mentioned above, the last focus is directed towards finding patterns within the chosen themes vulnerability and homosociality. Since the focuses of the thesis will be studied through finding patterns within the material, thematic analysis will be used as a method. The method queer reading will also be used for studying norms. What has been found is that the form of the questioning mainly contains alternative thinking and reflections about ideals, as well as frustration related to trying to live up to these ideals. Overall few innovatory perspectives were brought up in the questioning, but the own father was rather commonly brought up in relation to reflection of the own masculinity. Regarding the chosen themes, avoiding to express emotions of vulnerability openly was found to be most common regarding vulnerability. Within the theme of homosociality, the most common pattern was that the men maintained a distance to each other. The most interesting discovery was found within the reflective form, which became interesting, since the stories contained an understanding that reflection should be avoided in order to uphold a masculine identity. Paradoxically then, the overall form of the material was reflective stories, making the form of the stories a break against a central norm found within their content.

This thesis is a qualitative study of firefighters, and focuses on how firefighters, a predominantly male, white and able-bodied group with popular public support, form tight knit teams on and off the fireground, and their motivations for so doing. It is also a study of gender, which aims to describe and deconstruct masculinity. In part the thesis was undertaken with a view to assisting the fire service (specifically the few women who are firefighters) with its difficulties in relation to equal opportunities. One understanding the thesis provides is that firefighters bond around a common professional ethos: to provide an efficient service to help the public. To achieve this, firefighters form informal hierarchies through which they create protocols for firefighting, thus setting the standards for what comprises a ‘good firefighter’: a label firefighters test themselves against when they ‘get in’ to fight a fire. However, before firefighters can achieve this they must first access the skills of firefighting (which experienced firefighters are pleased to hand on), but only after a newcomer ‘fits in’ with the agendas of the informal hierarchy, some of which have little to do with firefighting. However, there is a second view, and this suggests that ‘fitting in’ and ‘getting in’ to pass the test of being seen as a ‘good firefighter’ also coincides with the way firefighters form their masculinity. This then provides a second common cause amongst firefighters, and so might explain why firefighters gather so successfully under the umbrella of their union to resist their officers’ attempts to deskill and cut the fire service. Cuts would limit firefighters’ ability both to fight fires as they currently do and to pass the test of being a ‘good firefighter’. Thus blocking a third central but unacknowledged element: that of masculinity. This analysis involves a discussion of class, and recognition that antagonistic relations between officers and firefighters are not only economic, but are also about petty dividends involving power, status and gender construction. The conclusion provides a comprehensive overview to suggest that firefighters form their masculinity by acting at work in the way they subjectively judge that they are seen, by themselves, their peer group and the public. In so doing, they set themselves apart from the ‘others’ who cannot meet their expectations. It is these ‘special people’, as identified by both firefighters and others that this thesis has studied, a group of ‘special’ men and women.

The aim of this study has been to examine representations of Latino boys and young men in Latino American coming of age novels. Two concepts have been central to the study: positions of (in)betweenness and the ability to "fall in line" with norms and expectations. Three overarching themes are been explored in relation to masculinity. These are sexualities, ethnicities, and the representation of women. First, representations of queer sexualities are explored, focusing on the protagonists' "coming out" process and the varying reactions to this. The second part of this theme explores representations of disciplining strategies between boys and men as a means to regulating homosocial bonding and maintain the dominant masculinity ideal. The second theme, ethnicity, examines representations of "authentic" Latino identities in relation to language and bilingualism, and the link between location and identity. Disciplining measures aimed towards the protagonists, such as criminalization and dehumanization, are also explored. The final theme deals with the lacking representation of women in literature and research focused on men and masculinity. In the novels, women are depicted as confidants, present in the boys' lives mainly in order to provoke and facilitate their renegotiations of ideas regarding the previously discussed themes. The boys are represented as inhabiting positions of (in)betweenness throughout the novels, whether in relation to ethnicity, sexuality or gender. While (in)betweenness holds a potential to challenge and "worry" fixed categories, these positions are also characterized by unease, precariousness and the risk of being disciplined by other men.

The subject of female leadership has been widely discussed during the last decades and previous studies has shown that the management is unequal in terms of gender. Previous studies regarding female leadership has often been compared to management administered by male leaders. In this study we want to eliminate the thoughts and norms about male leadership and instead focus on differences within a group of female leaders. Therefore, is the aim of this essay to examine how six female leaders experience their leadership and determine if age and former experiences have an effect. The method follows a qualitative research design based on six semi structured interviews. To unveil potential social differences and distinctions between diverse generations, we have compared responses form three older female leaders with at least 25 years of experience, with three younger leaders with less experience. The applied theories in this paper cover gender roles, leadership, habitus and different kinds of recruitment processes. The outcome shows that the differences between the two age groups are relative small. Despite this, the results shows that the perceived gender roles and its obstacles tend to diminish with increased age and experience. / Kvinnligt ledarskap har sedan flera årtionden tillbaka varit ett omtalat ämne där majoriteten av tidigare forskning studerat kvinnligt ledarskap i relation till det manliga. Eftersom samhället successivt förändras, i en riktning där allt fler kvinnliga ledare träder fram, har vi valt att inrikta oss på kvinnligt ledarskap. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka kvinnliga ledares upplevelser av hur det är att arbeta i en ledande position inom den privata sektorn. Vi har valt att jämföra äldre kvinnliga ledare med minst 25 års erfarenhet med yngre kvinnliga ledare med mindre erfarenhet av ledarskap. Anledningen till detta är för att undersöka om eventuella samhälls- och generationsskillnader har en inverkan. Studien tar utgångspunkt i ledarskapsteorier, genusteorier, Bourdieus habitusbegrepp samt olika rekryteringsstrategier. Då fokus har varit att studera kvinnornas upplevelser har vi valt en kvalitativ metod där vi genomfört sex stycken semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studien visade att det är en förvånansvärt liten skillnad i upplevelsen av ledarskap mellan yngre och äldre kvinnliga ledare. Det går dock att konstatera att ökad erfarenhet samt ökande ålder minskar upplevelsen av könsstrukturernas begränsningar.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att granska två podcaster, en med enbart män och en med enbart kvinnor. Genom en kritisk textanalys på C/O Hannah och Amanda, samt Alex och Sigges podcast, ser vi hur femininitet och maskulinitet manifesteras i respektive podcast. Parallellt med våra observationer i språket jämför vi med tidigare populärkulturell forskning på medier, samt forskning kring femininitet och maskulinitet. Vårt hopp med detta är att kunna se huruvida podcasten, som är hyllat som ett fritt medium, är en plattform för nytänkande eller bakåtsträvande ideal. I vår analys visar vi bland annat hur programledarna använder sitt kön som ett uppträdande. Vi visar exempel på hur de producerar nya, men också bryter, genusmönster, samt lyfter fram hur de i språket visar en medvetenhet som de inte alltid agerar utefter. Vi problematiserar hur språkbruket i podcasten kan ligga till grund för ideal och normer som mottagaren anammar, samt återkopplar till vårt teoretiska ramverk. / The purpose of this paper is to study two podcasts, one with only men, and one with only women. By doing a critical text analysis of C/O Hannah and Amanda, and Alex’s and Sigge’s podcast, we study how femininity and masculinity are manifested in the podcasts. Parallel to our observations of the language, we compare our results to earlier research of popular cultural studies of media. We aim to see how the podcast, acclaimed to be a free medium, is a possible platform for new thinking or retrogressive values. In our analysis, we give examples of how the podcast hosts use their gender as a performance. We give examples of how they produce new, but also break, habits of gender patterns, and how they seem to be conscious about their choice of words, but not always implement this knowledge in their language. We problematize how the podcast language may make ground for values and norms for the receiver to adopt, and resubmit to our theoretical framework.

As video games and other gaming has become a popular media form, with 60% of Americans playing games daily (Entertainment Software Association [ESA], 2018), gaming communities have increased in size and participation. While scholarly research has consistently found that women are marginalized in these communities, little research has looked at how men see these communities. Research on homosociality shows that men use communities and relationships with other men to access masculinity (Bird, 1996; Dellinger, 2004; Houston, 2012). Building on game studies and masculinity studies, this research looks at the way men in tabletop roleplaying game communities understand their involvement and the ways their involvement connects with masculinity. Tabletop gaming communities give men access to a form of masculinity they may be denied, primarily by providing access to other ways of building social capital and relationships with other men.

<p>In this study I will analyze how men who buy sex interact with one another on two different Internet communities: “Sekreterarakademin” and “Flashback”. This analysis is carried out in an attempt to challenge the conventional image of the man who pays for sex.</p><p>The aim is to examine the role of Internet forums for men who buy sexual services related to cross-border, both in terms of standard borders, gender boundaries, boundaries of sexuality and masculinity. I will also attempt to investigate what opportunities that are available to overrun different borders and how these opportunities affect the conditions of the various players. I will evaluate theories such as homosocialtet, hegemonic masculinity and normalization used by KAST (Köpare Av Sexuella Tjänster, the Swedish public support for clients of sexual services) and which are partially consolidated in studies published by KAST concerning issues related to internet based prostitution.</p>

In this study I will analyze how men who buy sex interact with one another on two different Internet communities: “Sekreterarakademin” and “Flashback”. This analysis is carried out in an attempt to challenge the conventional image of the man who pays for sex. The aim is to examine the role of Internet forums for men who buy sexual services related to cross-border, both in terms of standard borders, gender boundaries, boundaries of sexuality and masculinity. I will also attempt to investigate what opportunities that are available to overrun different borders and how these opportunities affect the conditions of the various players. I will evaluate theories such as homosocialtet, hegemonic masculinity and normalization used by KAST (Köpare Av Sexuella Tjänster, the Swedish public support for clients of sexual services) and which are partially consolidated in studies published by KAST concerning issues related to internet based prostitution.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att utifrån teorier om hegemonisk maskulinitet och homosocialitet studera hur normer för maskulinitet reproduceras i tre svenska populära podcasts. Uppsatsen innehåller tre frågeställningar som är följande: Hur förhandlas maskulinitetsnormer hos Alex &amp; Sigge, Filip &amp; Fredrik och Luuk &amp; Lokko?, genom vilka rollprestationer upprätthålls eller omförhandlas normer för hegemoniska maskulinitetsideal? och vad innehåller dessa podcasts för specifika strukturer och hur återfinns maskuliniteter i detta innehåll? Mitt teoretiska och analytiska perspektiv grundar sig i forskning om maskulinitetsprocesser och hegemonisk maskulinitet. Vidare utvecklar jag mitt teoretiska ramverk med genreteoretiska anknytningar där den ideologiska funktionen inom dessa blir central. Analysen består av samtalscitat från mitt material där jag transkriberat relevanta delar för att kunna gå nära texten. Ut efter tematiseringar grundade på huvudpersonernas relationer till varandra och till personer utanför texten analyserar jag sedan mitt material i två delar. Maskuliniteten konstrueras i och med olika rollprestationer som huvudpersonerna sätter i spel gentemot varandra och andra. Dessa rollprestationer blir talande i min analys och bidrar till min slutdiskussion. Sammanfattningsvis avslutar jag med en slutdiskussion där jag anknyter till mitt teoretiska ramverk och diskuterar vilka maskulinitetsnormer som är rådande inom min text. Jag lyfter även det teoretiska perspektivet till en större samhällelig kontext i och med att jag anser att maskulinitetsnormer ingår i ideologiska strukturer i samhället. / The purpose of this paper is: based on theories of hegemonic masculinity and homosociality to, study how masculinity is reproduced in three popular Swedish podcasts. The paper contains three research questions: Which values around masculinity exists and is represented in the three podcasts that I have chosen? How is masculinity represented based on defined performances of Alex &amp; Sigge, Filip &amp; Fredrik and Luuk &amp; Lokko? What content does these podcasts have and which specific structures around masculinity is found in this content? My theoretical and analytical perspectives are based on research in masculinity representations and hegemonic masculinity. Furthermore, I develop my theoretical framework with genre theories, where the ideological functions of these become central. The analysis consists of conversation quotes from my material, which I transcribed the relevant parts in order to get close to the text. I have thematically constructed two levels of analysis based on the characters' relationships to each other and to the persons outside the text. Masculinity is constructed with various performances by the main characters put in play against each other and others. These performances will be critical in my analysis and contribute to my final discussion. In the chapter called conclusion I end with a final discussion, in which I relate to my theoretical framework, and discuss which masculinity values that are present in my text. I also broaden my theoretical perspective to a larger social context, in that I believe masculinity norms are included in the ideological structures of society.