Elite Masculinities and the Neoliberal Project: Global Political Economies of Hegemonic Masculinity

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between elite masculinities and the neoliberal project, arguing that they are mutually constitutive and reinforcing. It draws on a range of interdisciplinary scholarship to analyze how elite masculinities are produced, circulated, and consumed within the global political economy. The article finds that elite masculinities are central to the reproduction of neoliberal ideologies and policies, and that they play a key role in maintaining global hierarchies of power and privilege.

Men of Money: Elite Masculinities and the Neoliberal Project (Global Political Economies of Gender and Sexuality)

by Jacob Darwin Hamblin

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	580 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	321 pages
Hardcover	:	138 pages
Item Weight	:	1.3 pounds
Dimensions	:	11.3 x 0.39 x 8.74 inches

FREE

Neoliberalism is a political and economic ideology that emphasizes the free market, privatization, and deregulation. It has been the dominant economic paradigm since the 1980s, and has had a profound impact on global political economies and social relations. Elite masculinities are a particular form of masculinity that is associated with power, wealth, and status. They are often characterized by traits such as aggression, dominance, and competition.

In this article, I argue that elite masculinities and the neoliberal project are mutually constitutive and reinforcing. I draw on a range of interdisciplinary scholarship to analyze how elite masculinities are produced, circulated, and consumed within the global political economy. I find that elite masculinities are central to the reproduction of neoliberal ideologies and policies, and that they play a key role in maintaining global hierarchies of power and privilege.

Elite Masculinities and the Neoliberal Project

Neoliberal ideology emphasizes the importance of individual responsibility and self-reliance. This ideology is often associated with a particular form of masculinity that is characterized by traits such as aggression, dominance, and competition. This form of masculinity is often seen as necessary for success in the neoliberal economy, where individuals are expected to compete with each other for jobs, resources, and status.

Elite masculinities are often associated with neoliberal ideologies and policies. This is because elite masculinities are seen as representing the values and aspirations of the neoliberal project. Elite masculinities are often portrayed as successful, wealthy, and powerful, and they are often seen as role models for other men. This portrayal of elite masculinities reinforces the idea that neoliberal ideologies and policies are beneficial for men, and it encourages men to adopt these ideologies and policies.

In addition to reinforcing neoliberal ideologies, elite masculinities also play a key role in maintaining global hierarchies of power and privilege. Elite masculinities are often associated with whiteness, heterosexuality, and class privilege. This association reinforces the idea that these groups are superior to others, and it helps to justify the exclusion of these groups from power and privilege.

The Global Political Economy of Elite Masculinities

Elite masculinities are produced, circulated, and consumed within the global political economy. This process is mediated through a variety of institutions, including the media, education, and the workplace. The media plays a particularly important role in the production and circulation of elite masculinities. Media representations of elite masculinities often portray them as successful, wealthy, and powerful. This portrayal reinforces the idea that elite masculinities are the norm, and it encourages men to adopt these masculinities.

Education also plays a role in the production of elite masculinities. Schools and universities often promote neoliberal ideologies and values, and they often teach young men to be competitive, aggressive, and dominant. This education helps to socialize young men into the neoliberal project, and it prepares them for success in the neoliberal economy.

The workplace is another important institution through which elite masculinities are produced and circulated. In the workplace, men are often expected to compete with each other for jobs, promotions, and status. This competition often leads to the adoption of elite masculinities, as men try to prove their worth and value to their employers.

Elite masculinities are a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. They are shaped by a variety of factors, including the global political economy, the media, education, and the workplace. Elite masculinities are central to the reproduction of neoliberal ideologies and policies, and they play a key role in maintaining global hierarchies of power and privilege.

It is important to understand the relationship between elite masculinities and the neoliberal project in order to challenge and resist their negative effects. We need to develop new forms of masculinity that are more egalitarian and inclusive, and we need to create a more just and equitable global political economy.

References

1. Connell, R. W. (2005). Masculinities. Cambridge: Polity Press.
2. Connell, R. W., & Messerschmidt, J. W. (2005). Hegemonic masculinity: Rethinking the concept. Gender & Society, 19(6),829-859.
3. Kimmel, M. S. (2008). The gendered society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
4. Mills, C. W. (1956). The power elite. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
5. Pease, B. (2014). Neoliberalism and the masculinization of hetero-sexuality. Men and Masculinities, 17(1),3-25.
6. Sedgwick, E. K. (1990). Epistemology of the closet. Berkeley: University of California Press.
7. Smith-Oka, V. (2019). Elite masculinities and the neoliberal project: A global political economy approach. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Men of Money: Elite Masculinities and the Neoliberal Project (Global Political Economies of Gender and Sexuality)

by Jacob Darwin Hamblin

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	580 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	321 pages
Hardcover	:	138 pages
Item Weight	:	1.3 pounds
Dimensions	:	11.3 x 0.39 x 8.74 inches

FREE