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Social Theorist

Raewyn Connell

Also Known As R. W. Connell (name used on her published work before her transition)
Sociology

Raewyn Connell is an Australian sociologist best known for developing the concept of hegemonic masculinity in her book Masculinities (1995). She argued that in any given society there exists a dominant, culturally exalted pattern of masculinity that legitimates men's collective authority over women and over other, subordinated forms of masculinity, and that this hegemonic pattern is a historically and culturally variable social construction rather than a fixed biological or psychological trait. Connell's framework treated gender as a structure of power organizing not only relations between men and women but also relations among different masculinities themselves, and it became one of the most widely used concepts in the sociology of gender and men's studies internationally.

Facts
Birth Date
1944-01-03 1
Birth Year
1944 1
Birthplace
Sydney, Australia 1
Nationality / Culture
Australian 1
Defining Contribution
Coined the concept of hegemonic masculinity, describing a dominant, culturally exalted pattern of masculinity that legitimizes men's collective authority over women and over subordinated masculinities. 1
Notable Work
Masculinities (1995); Gender and Power: Society, the Person and Sexual Politics (1987); Southern Theory: The Global Dynamics of Knowledge in Social Science (2007) 1
Connections

Associated With

Connell hegemonic masculinity theory analyzed how one dominant form of masculinity organizes gender hierarchy and sustains patriarchy within a given society.

In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Raewyn Connell (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Lead section, birth date
    Raewyn Connell (born 3 January 1944), usually cited as R. W. Connell, is an Australian feminist sociologist and professor emerita at the University of Sydney, mainly known for co-founding the field of masculinity studies and coining the concept of hegemonic masculinity, as well as for her work on Southern theory.
  • Lead section, birth year
    Raewyn Connell (born 3 January 1944), usually cited as R. W. Connell, is an Australian feminist sociologist and professor emerita at the University of Sydney, mainly known for co-founding the field of masculinity studies and coining the concept of hegemonic masculinity, as well as for her work on Southern theory.
  • Life and career section
    Connell was born in Sydney, Australia.
  • Lead section, nationality
    Raewyn Connell (born 3 January 1944), usually cited as R. W. Connell, is an Australian feminist sociologist and professor emerita at the University of Sydney, mainly known for co-founding the field of masculinity studies and coining the concept of hegemonic masculinity, as well as for her work on Southern theory.
  • Life and career section, publishing name
    Almost all her earlier work was published under the gender-neutral name "R. W. Connell" up to the second edition of "Masculinities" in 2005.
  • Masculinities section
    Connell is best known outside Australia for studies of the social construction of masculinities.
  • Bibliography section
    1995. Masculinities. Allen & Unwin
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