Date of Submission
2-2022
Type of Work
Dissertation
Principal Supervisor
Dr. Toby Wren
Keywords
Gender; Feminist theory; Marginality, Social; Ethnographic Research; Poetry
Audience
Parental Guidance (PG) - mild impact language/themes
Abstract
Men at Peace is a creative ethnography aiming to facilitate a functional bridge between polarising gender assumptions around communication and to communicate this bridge using poetry. Using an ethnographic approach underpinned by feminist gender theories, this project is a study of masculinities in contemporary Australian society. Stories of men’s experiences were gathered and then transformed into randomised five-lined cut up poems to reveal and understand social, emotional, spiritual, cultural, relational, and material realities of men. The stories men told during this ethnography supported the heteronormative understanding of masculinities that reinforced the narrative that “real men” should not express a wide spectrum of emotions. The data showed that men were both aware of their own gender conditioning and felt limited by it. Most importantly, the data also showed men harboured a strong desire to usurp these limiting gender norms and talk openly about their feelings.
In response to this conflicting desire, ethnographic findings were presented through ethnographic poetry. Ethnographic poetry is poetry used to express research findings and the experiences of the researcher in the field. With the opportunity for data presentation and commentary of collective voices from the field, poetic expression offers possibilities for creativite views of problem solving, entertainment, social commentary, gender discussion, storytelling, subjective interpretation, and the capacity to see creative expression as an alternative way of representing social issues. Ideally, this will inspire others to feel safe to share their stories pertaining to gendered experiences and inspire the facilitation of creative expression for individuals or groups of people. This discussion has an impact on future attitudes toward gender norms and ideas of healthy masculinity.
Notes
Supplementary content includes: Mansploitation, Men at Peace (MP3) data presentation, Transcript coding spreedsheet, Voices from the field - Poems from Interview data.
Sensitive handling note
6. Sensitive note other – free text.
Other sensitive handling material
This work may contain discussions around subjects or themes of a sensitive nature.
Recommended Citation
Blecher, H. (2022). Men at Peace [Masters dissertation, SAE University College]. Creo.