Masculinity, Citizenship, and Intersectionality

The main argument in the chapter is that the concept of hegemonic masculinity remains important to the understanding of contemporary power relations and processes of exclusion and inclusion in relation to citizenship and militarism. The chapter investigates the ways in which men benefit from hegemonic masculinity and the ambivalences this raises for citizenship in a time where gender-equal discourses and more inclusive masculinities are also possible. These differences point to the importance of taking an intersectional approach to understanding the complex relationships between masculinities, citizenship, and militarism. Theoretically, the chapter brings together the concepts of hegemonic masculinity, intersectionality, and citizenship. It analyses political leadership and post-deployment militarised masculinities in the Minority World and delivers a situated analysis of negations and enactments of power in a small, but highly influential part of the world. Many white male leaders and homecoming soldiers in Minority World societies frequently draw on accessible signifiers of hegemonic military identities to support their political standing and identities as strong, masculine men. The chapter shows how traditional practices linked to hegemonic masculinity play an important role in gendered citizenship because they are strongly related to political power and militarised masculinities.