Making it like a man: Men, masculinities, and the modern career

Abstract

Male homosociability is still a prevalent aspect of working culture and although many women are now participating in these same circles, it is still largely centred around the idea that men’s groupings are the ones that dictate the professional environment. The conference Making it Like a Man: Men, Masculinities and the Modern Career, which took place at the University of Helsinki on the 25th and 26th of October 2018, illuminated this idea by introducing new perspectives on the connection between men and careers. The conference was necessary because merely acknowledging the divide in work environments between men and women does not show the connection between masculinity and careers, and neither how masculinity manifests itself in a variety of ways and socio-economic structures. Although the presentations stemmed from academic research, the language and structure of the conference was such that it was accessible for anybody from any background. Anyone with an interest in gender studies, or anyone who simply ever questioned gender stereotypes, would have found something of interest in the conference. Both historical and critical approaches were adopted in order to examine the diverse array of masculinities in professional and personal environments, as well as how both men and women participate in and reproduce these in modern working life. Presenters from four different continents and a variety of background experiences came together to discuss their own research on masculinity and what makes a man.