As a reaction to the implicit masculine gendering of history and literature up until the latter part of the twentieth century, gender-based studies of the medieval and early modern period have tended to focus on representations of femininity at the expense of masculinity. While this approach has been invaluable in exposing the way in which women have been marginalised and effaced across time, it risks obscuring some elements of both the constructed nature of masculinity and of historical representations of masculine/feminine binaries.
This panel seeks to explore the possibilities offered by an explicitly gendered focus on representations of masculinity within the medieval and early modern period. The panel will convene at the ANZAMEMS Tenth Biennial Conference at the University of Queensland on the 14–18 July, 2015: http://anzamems.org/?page_id=7.
Possible topics for papers include but are not limited to:
- Masculinity and labour
- Masculinity and race
- Masculinity and violence
- Masculinity and physiology
- Masculinity and domesticity
- Masculinity and honour
- Masculinity and sexuality
- Masculinity and kingship
If you would like to contribute a paper to this panel, please send a 250 word abstract for a 20 minute paper together a brief biography to deborah.seiler@research.uwa.edu.au by the 23 October, 2014. Please put ‘Masculinities Panel’ in the subject line.
