Unreasonable Men: Masculinity and Social Theory - Couverture rigide

Seidler, Victor J.

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0415082935 ISBN 13 : 9780415082938

Editeur : Routledge, 1993

Synopsis

Seidler argues that the identification of masculinity with reason has played a central role in Western social theory and philosophy. Reason is defined in opposition to nature, and mind set against body, as men have learnt to take their reason for granted. This produces an "unreasonable" form of reason that men learn to use to legislate for others, before learning to speak more personally for themselves. This is part of the power that men can assume in relation to women, and which is embodied in dominant forms of social theory. Emotions and feelings are discounted as forms of knowledge, for they are deemed to be "personal" and "subjective" when contrasted with the "objectivity" and "impartiality" of reason. "Unreasonable Men" aims to demonstrate how an Enlightenment view of modernity excluded and silenced those whom it regarded as "others" for being closer to nature, thereby setting the terms in which "others" have to prove themselves rational to enter the "magic circle of humanity". Traditions of social theory carry both the dreams and demons of a modernity which could only recognize "injustice" and "oppression" as "real" and "objective" within the public world of men.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

This much needed book is the first to show how dominant forms of masculinity are implicated in the traditions of social theory that have emerged since the Enlightenment. The author shows how an 'unreasonable' form of reason has emerged from the separation of reason from emotion, mind from body, nature from culture, public from private, matter from spirit - the dualities that have shaped our vision of modernity. The book argues that men need to explore critically their power and experience which has been rendered invisible by the dominant traditions of social theory. Instead of legislating for others they have to learn to speak more personally for themselves.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Routledge
• Date d'édition: 1993
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0415082935
• ISBN 13: 9780415082938
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 288
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible