Sponsors & Hosts The GradCenter: gradcenter.org Office of - - PDF document

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Sponsors & Hosts

• The GradCenter: gradcenter.org
• Office of Graduate Studies, Western Illinois

University: wiu.edu/graduate_studies

• College Student Personnel Graduate Program,

Western Illinois University: wiu.edu/csp

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Q & A Polling

Honoring the “Face Behind the Mask”

Interrogating Masculine Performatives to Promote Retention

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INTERROGATING MASCULINE PERFORMATIVES TO PROMOTE RETENTION

Tracy Davis Vern Klobassa

HONORING THE “FACE BEHIND THE MASK”:

Keenan Colquitt, Jr.

Land Acknowledgement…

Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: settler colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness around our present participation.

Kikapoo Anishinaabe Chippewa Dakota Ojibwe Sioux

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Overview…

Framing & Background Theory & Research Strategies for Practice A word about Learning Outcomes…

Poll Question

How familiar are you with our topic today related to men and masculinities?

a) a. Very new to the topic b) b. I’ve read and am somewhat engaged c) c. I have a deep interest and am active d) d. This is one of my teaching/research/professional practice

areas

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• Dr. T.J. Jourian

www.tjjourian.net

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• Dr. Keith Edwards

www.keithedwards.com

• Dr. David Pérez II

@drdavidperezii

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“Dismantle the defacto practice of equating men with masculinities”…Jourian (2020) “Give permission to men to stop being who they feel they have to be and start being the men they are”…Edwards (2020) "have we considered that Black and Latino men do not seek you out because they receive cues from others that convey that their lives do not matter”… Pérez II (2020)

Patriarchy is brutal for men as well…

“The first act of violence that patriarchy demands of males is not violence toward women. Instead patriarchy demands of all males that they engage in acts of psychic self-mutilation, that they kill off the emotional parts of themselves. If an individual is not successful in emotionally crippling himself, he can count on patriarchal men to enact rituals of power that will assault his self-esteem.”

— bell hooks The Will To Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love

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External vs. Internal

“There is no reality except the one contained within us. That is why so many people live such an unreal life. They take the images outside of them for reality and never allow the world within to assert itself.”

• - Herman Hesse, Author of Siddhartha

Toxic Masculinity

What we mean by “toxic masculinity” is the narrow definition of manhood where violence, sex, status, and aggression are central. It’s a one-way cultural ideal of manliness where strength is valorized and emotions are seen as weakness, where sex and aggression are yardsticks by which men are measured, and “feminine” traits, ranging from emotional vulnerability to simply not being hypersexual are ways to lose your “man card”.

• - derived from studies that focus on violent behavior

perpetrated by men, and — this is key — is designed to describe not masculinity itself, but a form

• f gendered behavior that results when expectations
• f “what it means to be a man” go wrong.

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Hegemony: How the external is sold…

Hegemony is the process of influence through which classes of people consent to their own domination, as opposed to being forced or coerced into accepting inferior positions. Hegemony controls the way new ideas are rejected or become naturalized in a process that subtly alters notions of common sense in a given

• society. Hegemony results in the empowerment of certain cultural beliefs,

values, and practices to the submersion and partial exclusion of others.

“truth”⇒ media⇒ parents⇒ peers⇒ acculturation⇒ church⇒

External messages⇒

Counter-hegemonic practices:

Mindful Reflection Critical Inquiry Historical Knowledge

• Quiet the external

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What’s Behind the Mask?.... NARRATIVES OF UNDERGRADUATE MEN ABOUT MASCULINITY AND MEN’S VIOLENCE

• Introduction of the research study
• Premise
• Problem
• Purpose

Let’s Rethink the Term Toxic Masculinity

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Methodology

Paradigmatic Framework Constructionism or a Constructionist paradigm Qualitative Study Narrative Inquiry

Gilpin, Caroline Crosson, and Natalie Proulx. “Boys to Men: Teaching and Learning About Masculinity in an Age

• f Change.” The New York Times, April 12, 2018, sec. The Learning Network.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/learning/lesson-plans/boys-to-men-teaching-and-learning-about- masculinity-in-an-age-of-change.html.

Overview of Study

Participants Overview of the site Initiative Mensgroup

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Discourse Social, Cultural, and Gender

Findings

Narratives Childhood Adolescent College

Conclusions

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In relation to this discussion…

Strategies & Tools for Practice

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Common Strategies in Higher Education

• Men’s retreats
• Dialogue programs
• Peer education

○

(seen in health promotions units, residence life, etc.)

• Student clubs and organizations
• Mentoring programs
• Living learning communities
• Academic curriculum

Poll Question

“What are the most common strategies related to doing social justice work around men and masculinities that you’ve seen in higher education? (Pick your top 3)

• a. Men’s retreats
• b. Dialogue programs
• c. Peer education (seen in health promotions units, residence life, etc.)
• d. Student clubs and organizations
• e. Mentoring programs

f. Living learning communities

• g. Academic curriculum

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A Framework & Tools for Practice

Robert Kegan’s (1982) Learning Positions

Learning Position Response Tools/Strategies Defending Confirmation

• Man Box Activity
• Non-Violent Communication

Surrendering Contradiction

• Counter-Narratives
• Gender-Aware Restorative

Practices

• Men’s Retreats

Reintegration Continuity

• Men’s Groups
• Mentoring
• Men’s Retreats

A Framework & Tools for Practice

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Questions?

kcolquit@nmu.edu vern.klobassa@stthomas.edu tl-davis1@wiu.edu

Thank You

Keenan Colquitt, Jr. Presenter Tracy Davis Presenter Vern Klobassa Presenter Shirley Moore The GradCenter Kellie Larrabee Office of Graduate Studies,

Western Illinois University

Jill Bisbee College Student Personnel Graduate Program,

Western Illinois University

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Implications…or what pros should do…

1. Understand the reciprocal nature of behavior-identity-environment so that we don’t ignore the environmental context and internalized hegemony that may drive the performance of identity. 2. Less “plus one stage” interventions and more of a holistic approach. 3. Listen instead of diagnosing. 4. Always be conscious of your own privileged and targeted identities as they are influencing the interaction.

A Plan

1st) Professional development regarding men’s identity development - know the literature & the issues. 2nd) Men’s retention is more than a student services issue. Need to partner with enrollment management and admissions staff, student leaders, athletics, institutional researchers, etc. 3rd) Before beginning resource allocation directed toward men’s recruitment and retention we need to discuss the rationale and seek input from women leaders on campus, women’s support centers, and other salient university programs and community agencies. Any efforts should also be: Preceded by inventory of women’s resources - identifying any gaps Transparent Completely inclusive in the planning and execution of strategies to ensure that efforts for men complement and support women. 4th) Convene a team to: initiate benchmarking, identify scholarship & books to use, identify faculty and staff to conduct research on gender-related issues specific to this campus, conduct educational programs on campus.