Course Outline:

Middleton’s The Inward Gaze, begins the central conversation that will run through this course.

‘Modern men have suffered greatly in a series of wars generated by largely masculine codes of behavior whose close examination might be a useful step towards preventing their endless repetition. Manipulative images of masculinity pervade out culture. Manhood is used to sell everything.’

This tethers Michael Roper and John Tosh’s exploration of this myth – that ‘Despite the omnipotent manhood which surround us, myths of omnipotent manhood which surround us, masculinity is never fully possessed.'

We will be looking at the ways various fictions and texts create new space for subjectivity, reflection and reimagining of masculine ideals.