Calasanti, Toni, Professor

By Stine Adrian on 20 Jul | 0 comments

Toni Calasanti is professor of Sociology, Virginia Tech, USA

GEXCEL PROJECT
I am pleased to be a Fellow of the Centre of Gender Excellence (GEXcel) at Linköping University from late November to late December. During this time, I plan to conduct research, write and contribute to the development of Theme 2 of the Centre of Gender Excellence, “Deconstructing the Hegemony of Men and Masculinities: Contradictions of Absence,” particularly the sub-theme dealing with bodies and older men.

I study aging as a form of inequality, as it intersects with other social hierarchies.  I have collected data on the anti-aging industry, to explore how it portrays ageing bodies.  I focus on how men’s and women’s bodies and sexuality are differentiated from one another and from those of younger people.  Recently, I have collected pilot interview data with middle-aged men and women concerning their aging and especially, their bodies; I have focused on middle age as I expected that this would be the time where individuals would be likely to begin to experience bodily changes that would cause them some concern. Finally, I have also begun to explore archival data on old people receiving aid from charitable foundations in the late 1920-1930s in a large city (Detroit) in the United States.  These last data, which involve detailed case histories (notes from social workers) and correspondence related to the cases, reveal views and experiences of aging at that time, including the forms of resistance on the parts of older clients and how each of these were influenced by race, class and gender.

GEXcel seminars and workshops
As a Fellow of the GEXcel centre my goal is collaborative exploration of these three data sets in relation to masculinities and aging bodies.  I look forward to being able to exchange ideas with others, hone my thoughts, and hopefully build some research collaborations.

I plan, first, to participate in the GEXcel workshop, “Men, age and embodiment: Power, hegemony and deconstruction.” I will draw primarily from the anti-aging website data (though perhaps also from the interviews), to discuss what these data show us about masculinity in later life.  In particular, the constructions of old masculinities make clear that it is difficult to be “old” and to be “masculine” as these are cast in opposition to one another.  Both old age and masculinities are, in some respects, essentialized such that old age is seen to be rooted in a loss of hormones, particularly hGH (human growth hormone) and testosterone, and is apparent in bodily changes; further, the loss of androgens and (presumed) subsequent “loss of masculinity” leads to greater feminization (and a presumed increased in estrogen) that ultimately underlies aging as well.  Restoring hormonal balance and thus youthful masculinity can be seen in bodies that compete and dominate, especially in relation to (hetero)sex. My working title for this presentation would thus be “Aging bodies, constructions of masculinities, and the anti-aging industry.”

For the GEXcel internal seminar, I would like to discuss work that I am just beginning. The title for the seminar is “Appropriate masculinity: Ideals for subordinate men.” I conceptualize “appropriate masculinity” as a form of subordinate masculinity in which dependent men are held accountable to ideals articulated by caregivers and authorities. People with institutional dominance tend to expect the restraint of masculine aggression that others might encourage in different settings. They may do so in positive terms of living up to responsibility, such as breadwinning and paying attention to kin; or in negative terms such as stifling sexual, violent, and other forms of aggression. Though few people live up to ideals of behavior, dependent men who do not appear to be trying can face institutional sanctions for their "inappropriate" behavior.  Age can play an important role in this regard, as ideals of masculinity are age-based (as described above).  Also, perceptions/indicators of “in/appropriate” masculinity are shaped by race, class, and sexuality, such that men involved with welfare agencies can be confronted with institutional sanctions that vary with their class and race. For instance, expressions of entitlement appear to get a Black man kicked off of a welfare roll more quickly than it does a white man. The standards of appropriate masculinity thus appear to be tighter for old Black men than for more privileged men and boys.

I look forward to the opportunity to work with other scholars, at all levels, on issues of masculinities and aging bodies.