Masculinity Ideals in a Contemporary Danish Context

Bloksgaard, Lotte; Christensen, Ann-Dorte; Jensen, Sune Qvotrup; Hansen, Claus D.; Kyed, Morten; Nielsen, Kent Jacob

doi:10.1080/08038740.2015.1046918

Cited by 13 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The fact that gender-segregated labor markets also exist in Scandinavia has been referred to as 'a gender equality paradox', but rather it shows the complexity of the process of social change, emphasizing that gender equality in one area does not automatically lead to gender equality in other areas (Borchorst 2011;Reisel & Teigen 2014). Gendered conceptions in work life seem to be more resistant to change than in the private sphere (Ellingsaeter & Solheim 2002), and overall, societal ideologies about gender equality and 'equal opportunities' may coexist with more gender-stereotypical conceptions in regard to which jobs are perceived as suited for women or men (Bloksgaard et al 2015;Charles & Grusky 2004). As stated above, this article does not analyze how the gendered perceptions identified are related to gender practices.…”

Section: Concluding Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptions of Gender and Competencies among Police Recruits in Scandinavia

Bloksgaard

Fekjær

Møberg

2020

NJWLS

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Conceptions of gender and competencies may be of importance for the gendered allocation of tasks and may help explain gender segregation in the labor market and within organizations. Drawing on survey panel data from Scandinavian police recruits in the male-dominated police profession, this article explores and discusses the prevalence of conceptions of gender and different police competencies. A substantial portion of the police recruits disagree that men are more competent at specific police tasks (handling violence) and women at others (care and communication). However, quite a large minority have more stereotypical conceptions of gender and competencies. Male police recruits generally report more gender-stereotypical conceptions than female and this tendency increases over time after entering the police. Furthermore, the Danish police recruits report the most gender-stereotypical conceptions, while the Swedish recruits more often dismiss the idea that men and women are suited for different police tasks.

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Section: Concluding Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptions of Gender and Competencies among Police Recruits in Scandinavia

Bloksgaard

Fekjær

Møberg

2020

NJWLS

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“…Lederes forventninger til de ansattes tidsbruk må imidlertid undersøkes empirisk, slik denne artikkelen gjør. Idealet om en tilstedevaerende og involvert far står sterkt i de nordiske landene, men er samtidig i konflikt med andre maskulinitetsidealer som investering i arbeidslivet (Bloksgaard et al, 2015). Hvordan disse motstridende maskulinitetsidealene ser ut fra et lederperspektiv, vil bli utforsket med utgangspunkt i ledernes syn på fedres permisjon.…”

Section: Kjønnssegregeringsprosesserunclassified

Intern kjønnssegregering i politiet– lederes oppfatninger om ansattes kjønnede kompetanse og tidsbruk

Nordberg¹

2018

TfS

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Andelen kvinner i politiet er økende, og kjønnsbalanse i alle typer stillinger et uttalt mål, men politiet er samtidig kjønnssegregert internt. Formålet med denne artikkelen er å undersøke hvordan lederes oppfatninger om kvinnelige og mannlige arbeidstakeres kompetanse og tidsbruk kan bidra til interne kjønnssegregeringsprosesser. Empirien er kvalitative intervjuer med 11 avdelingsledere innen to kjønnsdelte spesialiseringer: etterforskning og ordenstjenesten. Tesen om at ledere foretrekker kvinnelige eller mannlige ansatte med utgangspunkt i kulturelle forestillinger om kjønnet kompetanse, har vaert viktig for å forklare horisontal kjønnssegregering. Men tesen er ikke undersøkt empirisk. Denne artikkelen viser at ledernes oppfatninger om kjønnet kompetanse primaert inngår i argumenter for å øke kjønnsbalansen i politiet. Videre, at praksis og oppfatninger vedrørende tidsbruk i form av redusert arbeidstid, fulltid, overtid, turnus og ugunstig arbeidstid er vesentlig for den interne segregeringen. Arbeidstidsorganiseringen ved ordenstjenesten fremstår som en viktig forklaring på at mange kvinner søker seg fra ordenstjenesten til etterforskning, hvor lederne mener tilrettelegging er lettere gjennomførbart. Men å benytte muligheten for tilrettelegging har karrierekonsekvenser. Kjønnede tilpasninger av arbeidstid kan bidra til at politiet blir klarere kjønnsdelt, samtidig som kvinneandelen i politiet øker.

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“…In the (pro)feminist theory of hegemonic masculinity, the legitimization of men’s dominance over women is emphasized as a central feature in the social construction of (hegemonic) masculinity and hereby affecting the masculine selves performed in everyday life (Connell [1995] 2005; Connell and Messerschmidt 2005). However, some scholars, especially in the Nordic countries, have recently started to question this notion as they encounter new practices and attitudes among men (e.g., Aarseth 2009; Bloksgaard et al 2015; Christensen and Jensen 2014; Hearn et al 2012; Johansson 2008; Nordberg 2007). 1 Especially, Nordic researchers have highlighted the emergence of new family practices, emphasizing how the nurturing practices of involved fatherhood change and challenge conventional ideas about what it means to be a man (Aarseth 2008; Björk 2013; Farstad and Stefansen 2015; Forsberg 2007; Johansson and Klinth 2008; Olsen 2007).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Importantly though, the researchers have also demonstrated that there is no clear causality between men’s child orientation and, for instance, the redistribution of housework (Bekkengen 2002; Forsberg 2007; Magnusson 2005). Nevertheless, this growing body of research suggests that a gender equality–friendly family orientation has become a new aspect of the ways in which, especially younger middle class, men in the Nordic countries perform (masculine) identity (Aarseth 2008, 2009; Bach and Aarseth 2016; Bloksgaard et al 2015; Björk 2013; Farstad and Stefansen 2015; Forsberg 2007; Nordberg 2007). Yet, as also stressed by Bloksgaard et al (2015), the emergence of new ideals does not mean that old ideals evaporate instantly or at all.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, this growing body of research suggests that a gender equality–friendly family orientation has become a new aspect of the ways in which, especially younger middle class, men in the Nordic countries perform (masculine) identity (Aarseth 2008, 2009; Bach and Aarseth 2016; Bloksgaard et al 2015; Björk 2013; Farstad and Stefansen 2015; Forsberg 2007; Nordberg 2007). Yet, as also stressed by Bloksgaard et al (2015), the emergence of new ideals does not mean that old ideals evaporate instantly or at all. Thus, in order to understand the complex ways in which masculinities are constituted and performed in contemporary societies, there is a need for further research on how men enact gender equality–friendly masculinity in their daily lives (Bloksgaard et al 2015; Farstad and Stefansen 2015; Nordberg 2007; Pajumets 2012; Wetherell and Edley 1999).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Ambiguous Construction of Nondominant Masculinity: Configuring the “New” Man through Narratives of Choice, Involved Fatherhood, and Gender Equality

Bach

2017

Men and Masculinities

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This article explores the development of gender equality-oriented (heterosexual) masculinity discussing the challenges of constructing nondominant masculine identities in the context of the Danish welfare state. Combining narrative methods with the theoretical framework of masculinity as cultural repertoire, the article offers a qualitative study examining how three Danish men construct (gender) identity in relation to being the partners of career-oriented and high-achieving women. Analyzing the men’s narrative negotiations of power, gender, and self, the article identifies three central narratives produced by the men to render themselves and their family arrangements intelligible and desirable. Considering how the narratives of (1) choice, (2) involved fatherhood, and (3) gender equality work as strategies to negotiate and reconstruct the meaning of compliance and autonomy, I delineate and discuss how traditional notions of what it means to be a man are simultaneously preserved and destabilized. Thus, the article demonstrates that, while nurturing practices and the loss of traditional male breadwinner authority can be positively reconstituted within the Nordic ideals of intensive parenting and gender equality, a fear of male subordination still seems to affect the construction of masculine selves even among gender equality–oriented “new” men.

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Masculinity Ideals in a Contemporary Danish Context

Cited by 13 publications

References 21 publications

Conceptions of Gender and Competencies among Police Recruits in Scandinavia

Conceptions of Gender and Competencies among Police Recruits in Scandinavia

Intern kjønnssegregering i politiet– lederes oppfatninger om ansattes kjønnede kompetanse og tidsbruk

The Ambiguous Construction of Nondominant Masculinity: Configuring the “New” Man through Narratives of Choice, Involved Fatherhood, and Gender Equality

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