Working life, masculinity and career troubles

Abstract

Understanding men’s position and challenges in today’s labour market requires an insight into the historical development of work and especially the origin of the close connection between men and paid work. Social research has often ignored the gender dimension, and the research which has dealt with gender, has largely focused on women’s position in the labour market. This is surprising considering how crucial work is to men’s lives and the way in which masculinity is founded through work. To redress this slightly, the article examines the substantial changes that have happened to men and masculinity in the labour market from the industrial revolution until today. The theoretical approach is based on the social theory of gender by Robert W. Connell, employing in particular the concept of “hegemonic masculinity”. The main argument of the article is that men are still pursuing traditional male virtues, but that they do not solely base their identities on their job. The article concludes that if we are to raise men’s interest in gender equality issues, it is necessary to emphasize that men are paying a high price when reproducing traditional male values, and that men have more to win by adopting more modern forms of masculinity.