Discovering Men

Feminism has put the critical study of men and masculinities firmly on to the academic agenda. First published in 1992, Discovering Men explores key issues in this field of study, looking at the theoretical, practical, and political difficulties that arise when men begin to study themselves, and considering the deep assumptions that underlie this area of enquiry.

The author investigates the various strategies that may be adopted in exploring men and masculinities, drawing constantly on feminist critique of men’s theoretical and everyday practice. He recommends a critical re-reading of classic sociological texts to bring out the ’hidden’ stories about masculinities that they tell, and re-examines well-documented areas within sociology, focusing on studies of men at work. He analyses situations where masculinity may be problematic, such as male unemployment, shifts in the gender balance in the workplace, and, historically, the suffrage movement.

Discovering Men is one of the first books to focus on issues of methodology and epistemology and to explore the difficulties of men studying men in a patriarchal society. It will be beneficial for students and researchers of sociology, gender studies, women studies, social history, and research methodology.

David H. J. Morgan was a key figure in the British sociological community. He was one of the original staff members of the Department of Sociology at the University of Manchester when it was founded in 1964, and he taught there for almost 35 years. Many of David’s publications on families and masculinities remain landmark works that helped shape and transform these fields of study. In 2005, in recognition of David’s standing as one of the foremost sociologists in the fields of families, relationships, personal life and everyday lives, the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives at the University of Manchester was named after him.