Vietnam Women's Publishing House has just introduced to readers the book "The Masculinity" by sociologist Raewyn Connell - one of the classic works with profound influence in the field of contemporary gender studies.
The publication of this work in Vietnam not only marks the presence of an important academic work, but also opens up broader exchanges about the understanding of masculinity in modern society: how masculinity is formed, how it operates and in which directions it can change in the context of a changing gender order.
In everyday life, "masculinity" is often seen as a natural characteristic associated with men's biology. However, modern sociological studies suggest that masculinity is not a fixed nature.
According to this approach, masculinity is formed through specific social practices such as labor, education, military, sports, sex or even forms of care and physical discipline. In other words, masculinity does not exist inherently but is created and reproduced in social institutions and in daily power relations.
From that foundation, Raewyn Connell offers a breakthrough approach when viewing masculinity as a system of diverse and relational social practices, rather than a single attribute of men.
One of the most influential concepts that Connell put forward is "hegemonic masculinity". This is a type of masculinity that is standardized and honored by society, thereby contributing to maintaining gender order and the dominance of men in general.
Although not necessarily the most popular type of masculinity, it has symbolic power and power, creating social norms for "being a man". At the same time, this concept also shows that in the very world of men there are stratifications: some types of masculinity are considered norms, while others are seen as deviant or marginalized.
Structurally, the book is divided into three main parts. The first part lays the theoretical foundation for the study of masculinity, while criticizing simplistic approaches based only on biological factors.
The second part focuses on specific case studies, showing that the process of "becoming a man" takes place in many different contexts such as family, school or workplace.
The final part expands the analysis to the historical and political perspectives, pointing out that modern masculine forms are closely linked to global socio-economic conditions and gender order.
The book contributes to opening up new perspectives on masculinity and promoting dialogue for a more equal society.
