Male Myths and Icons: Masculinity in Popular Culture (Policy)

Warm thanks go to Jo Campling, who helped me to give shape to this book; and also to Annabelle Buckley, my editor, who has been unfailingly helpful. I am indebted to the anonymous reviewer, who helped me improve many sections. Since I am not an academic, I am particularly reliant on various institutions and libraries for supplying me with material: in particular, I thank staff of the British Film Institute; the Independent Television Commission; the Sports Council, London; the Central Music Library, Westminster; the Samaritans; and the Library, University College London. Several people have listened to me tirelessly, as I struggled to articulate the ideas in this book: specifically, I am very grateful to Sybilla Madigan and Judith Hemming. My friend Victoria Zinovieff has been just that, and has helped me enormously. I can never thank Rachel enough for being there, and for helping me grasp concretely how men and women can live together in a spirit of equality and harmony. A special thanks to my son Adam for all the hockey games we've played, the horror films we watched together, and the Metallica tapes he lent me. This Book Studies Some Of The Important Myths Of Masculinity In Popular Culture, Including The Western, The Horror Film, Rock Music And Pornography. The Book Begins With An Assessment Of Some Of The Key Theoretical Issues In Gender Studies And Cultural Studies, Including Identification Between Subject And Text, And The Debate Over The Male Subject Position And Female Object Position In Patriarchal Culture. The Author Also Makes Use Of An Unusually Wide-ranging Theoretical Background, Derived From Feminism, Anthropology, Psychology, Marxism And Sociology. The Book Argues That Popular Culture Does Not Simply Present Tales Of Male Heroism And Conquest, But Also Gives Us Highly Complex And Ambivalent Images Of Men. The Hero Turns Into The Anti-hero; Feminine And Homoerotic Material Leak In: The Male Is Often Shown As The Victim. Thus Popular Culture Does Not Simply Express Male Hegemony, But Also Reveals Many Images Of Male Defeat, Damage And Confusion. Approaches To Gender -- Studying Popular Culture -- Psychological Approaces To Culture -- Westerns -- Horror Films -- Pornography -- Male Images In Rock And Pop Music -- Male Sport. Roger Horrocks ; Consulting Editor, Jo Campling. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 179-193) And Indexes. "This book studies some of the important myths of masculinity in popular culture, including the western, the horror film, rock music and pornography. The book begins with an assessment of some of the key theoretical issues in gender studies and cultural studies, including identification between subject and text, and the debate over the male subject position and female object position in patriarchal culture. The author also makes use of an unusually wide-ranging theoretical background, derived from feminism, anthropology, psychology, Marxism and sociology. The book argues that popular culture does not simply present tales of male heroism and conquest, but also gives us highly complex and ambivalent images of men. The hero turns into the anti-hero; feminine and homoerotic material leak in: the male is often shown as the victim. Thus popular culture does not simply express male hegemony, but also reveals many images of male defeat, damage and confusion."--Publisher's description This book studies some important myths of masculinity in various popular genres, including the western, the horror film, rock music and pornography. The author argues that popular culture gives us highly complex and ambivalent images of men. The hero turns into the anti-hero; feminine and homoerotic material leak in; the male is often shown as the victim. Attention is also paid to important theoretical issues in gender studies and cultural studies, such as identification and the relation between subject and text.

This book studies some of the important myths of masculinity in popular culture, including the western, the horror film, rock music and pornography. The book begins with an assessment of some of the key theoretical issues in gender studies and cultural studies, including identification between subject and text, and the debate over the male subject position and the female object position in patriarchal culture.

In studying some of the myths of masculinity in various genres, including the western, horror films, rock music and pornography, the author argues that popular culture portrays complex and ambivalent images of men. Attention is also paid to theoretical issues in gender studies and cultural studies.