Ethnic identity, ‘race’ and young masculinities

Abstract

In contemporary society, the construction of gendered identities involves a narrowing of choices which takes place in the context of other, overlapping layers of identity construction, most notably and obviously those of class and, especially, ‘race’ (e.g. Back, 1995; Cohen, 1997). This is not, however, a process whereby pre-existing essential differences between ethnic groups automatically produce different kinds of young masculinities. Rather, as will become apparent in the course of this chapter, a process of ‘racialisation’ occurs whereby images or discourses of ‘whiteness’, ‘Asianness’ and ‘blackness’ become vitally embroiled and invested in the ways in which masculinities are experienced. That is, ethnicities and racialised ‘difference’ are powerfully intertwined with emergent masculinities not because of pre-existing and immutable differences between cultures, but because constructions of cultural diversity are crucial elements in the social contexts out of which masculinities emerge. This makes readings of ‘race’ and ethnicity central to the process of generating masculinities. Since cultural practices are racialised and gendered as well as classed, racialised masculinities are both culturally produced and productive of cultural practices.

People should just be happy for what colour they are an’. I am. I’m perfectly happy being English. I’m perfectly happy being white. (John, 13, white)