This GW University Seminar series was convened by Drs. Dwayne Kwaysee Wright, Desmond Goss, Manuel Cuellar, and James McMaster. Each session explored masculinity utilizing scholars from the George Washington University, the DMV community, and nationwide.
The conveners would like to give special thanks to Interim Dean Lionel Howard for helping organize the events and participating in this seminar series.
Prevailing discourse frequently posits that men and boys are undergoing a "crisis." Recent media, scholarly work, and commentary have underscored their purportedly diminished role in a society increasingly aware of cis heteropatriarchy. However, this concern often overlooks the experiences of those who navigate masculinity in conjunction with other social constructs. Consequently, as with all academic subjects, advanced inquiry is essential to critically examine the evolving concept of “masculinity” in various contexts.
This year-long seminar series explored the intersection of masculinity and minoritized identities, drawing on scholars from four departments across two schools/colleges at GW. The conveners analyzed masculinity through diverse research methods, epistemological frameworks, and theoretical lenses. By employing various modes of inquiry, they engaged the GW intellectual community in discussions to foster a collaborative understanding of masculinity.
Each seminar session highlighted the experiences of individuals marginalized by dominant socio-political structures while also being in proximity to various forms of "masculinity." Thus, by integrating gender theories with identity development, sex education, discourse analysis, cultural production, and performance studies, this series aimed to bridge research on masculinities across various disciplines.
The series was guided by the following research question(s):
- What are the experiences of those living at the intersection of modern masculinity and various forms of socially constructed privilege/oppression (race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, legal status, etc.)?
- What are the possibilities for the development of masculine identities and practices beyond cisheteropatriarchy that work to challenge rather than sustain hegemonic masculinity?
- Should those that are racially, ethnically, and economically marginalized and identify as masculine work towards reclaiming the concept of masculinity from its complicated and problematic past or work towards abolition of the concept as a means towards “gender freedom”?
If you missed any part of this seminar series feel free to view a recording of the events via the links below.
Seminar 1: Asian American Masculinity at the Cutting Edge
Convenor: Dr. James McMaster, Assistant Professor of American Studies and English at the George Washington University
Participants:
Dr. Takeo Rivera, Assistant Professor of English at Boston University
Dr. Anna Storti, Assistant Professor of Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at Duke University
The idea that Asian Americans are model minorities is everywhere in popular culture and academic discourse alike. These Asians are imagined as obedient, docile subjects, and hard workers who assimilate respectfully. However, there are many Asian Americans that break that mold, who are less industrious than they are extraordinarily violent. This dialogue between Dr. Takeo Rivera and Dr. Anna Storti, two leading scholars of Asian American gender and sexuality, highlights how this reality is reflected in performances of Asian American masculinity ranging from the model to the monstrous.
Seminar 2: What Heels Chicana/o/x/e Masculinity?
Convenor: Dr. Manuel R. Cuellar, Associate Professor of Spanish Literature at the George Washington University
Lecturer: Dr. Francisco J. Galarte, Associate Professor of American Studies and Women's, Gender and Sexuality & Director of the Feminist Research Institute at the University of New Mexico
Francisco Galarte gave a talk on Chicano fashion designer Willy Chavarria, whose Chicano-inspired clothing has garnered him the honor of CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year. In this lecture, Dr. Galarte engages in a case study of Chavarria’s first shoe design, the “Jalisco,” and argues that Chavarria’s Chicano-inspired designs challenge and redefine masculinity while exploring the intersections of race, sexuality, gender, and identity. He proposed that Chavarria's designs celebrate the heritage of Chicano fashion, promoting a radical politics of style that transcends conventional boundaries and encourages new expressions of cultural identity and Chicanx/o/a/e aesthetics.
Seminar 3: What to the Gender-Nonconformist is Masculinity?
Convenor: Dr. Desmond Goss, Assistant Professor of Intersectional Sociology at the George Washington University
Participants:
Dr. Che Gossett, Associate Director, The Center for Research in Feminist, Queer, and Transgender Studies
Dr. Katelyn Coburn, Assistant Professor of Child, Youth and Family Studies at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Dr. alithia zamantakis, Research Assistant Professor, Institute for SGM Health & Wellbeing at Northwestern University
In this session, scholars critiqued mono-categorical interpretations of patriarchy by examining the intersection of masculinity and gender-nonconformity. They discussed how their work nuances conventional understandings of masculine contexts, practices, identifications, or embodiments through the experiences, discourses, or social-psychologies of communities that challenge binary sex-gender-sexuality systems.
Seminar 4: Conceptualizing Identity Development of and among Black Boys and Men
Convenor: Dr. Dwyane Kwaysee Wright, Assistant Professor, Higher Education Administration; Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives at the George Washington University
Participants:
Dr. Lionel C. Howard, Interim Dean, Graduate School of Education & Professor of Educational Research at the George Washington University
Dr. Joseph Derrick Nelson, Associate Professor of Educational Studies at Swarthmore College
Dr. Brian L. Wright, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at University of Memphis
In this session, scholars presented and examined ways of reimaging how Black boyhood is understood and supported across educational settings. Participants explored the socio-emotional learning and development of Black boys in relation to school-level policies and educator practices; the need to challenge deficit narratives and reimagine Black boyhood as a fully human, richly imagined experience; and culturally responsive strategies that affirm Black boys’ brilliance and promote positive identity development, agency, and success, starting as early as preschool. This conversation offered insights for educators, researchers, and advocates committed to fostering more just and empowering environments for Black boys and young men.
This George Washington University Seminar is sponsored via support of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. It is co-sponsored by the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences' Diversity Equity and Inclusion Office, the Graduate School of Education and Human Development’s Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute, the Department of English, the Department of Sociology, and the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) Program.