Uncertain Masculinities: Youth, Ethnicity and Class in Contemporary Britain

By: Mike O'Donnell and Sue Sharpe

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Synopsis: In this era of rapid and unsettling change, boys now more than ever face difficulties in establishing their self-image and status. In this original and challenging study Mike O'Donnell and Sue Sharpe explore how teenage boys from white, African-Caribbean and Asian backgrounds negotiate contemporary uncertainties to construct their gender identities.Drawing theoretical insights about how class, race and ethnicity critically affect the formulation of masculinities throughout, the authors examine:* the discrepancies between boys and girls' attitudes and expectations* the split between boys' formal acceptance of politically correct ideas and their informal behaviour amongst the peer group* boys' leisure pursuits including involvement in illegal activities and their selective identification with global youth culture.Uncertain Masculinities is a fascinating account of the complexity of contemporary boys' identities and will be of use to students of the sociology of youth and of gender studies.