Japanese Journal of Cultural Anthropology
Online ISSN : 2424-0516
Print ISSN : 1349-0648
ISSN-L : 1349-0648
Articles
Creating Masculinity through Khaen Playing
Khap Lam Performances and Gender Division in Laos
Akiko Hirata
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2017 Volume 82 Issue 3 Pages 290-310

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Abstract

In the early 1970’s, anthropological studies on gender began in earnest, with the view from Margaret Mead’s writings that divisions of labor and the symbolism derived from gender were socio-cultural constructs becoming widespread. Later studies expanded the discussion of gender relations by introducing the concept of power imbalances.

Gender studies set the agenda for theory and empirical arguments in anthropology, with the subject of many studies being female-related. Whereas the examination of the social formation of female gender and sexual orientation has become mainstream in gender studies, a related side-trend in gender studies research since the mid-1980’s has focused on males. Such “anthropology of masculinity” explores how regional masculinity is formed and defined.

In the same way that the field of gender studies examines the lives of women, male-focused anthropology studies the cultural history of the male ideal as expressed through such things as social norms, the use of language, hero figures, friendship, manhood, the materialization of masculinity, violence, and cultural areas related to power. When considering masculinity globally—such as male identity and sexuality—individual and regional differences inevitably emerge that are variable, unstable, and fluid. In recent years, the focus has been on the male image in social norms, language, hero figures, and how men express themselves as “genderized beings” through their relationships with women.

However, the fledgling anthropology of masculinity has been negatively associated with male power and sexual desire, and what little attention it did attract from gender study groups—which had previously focused on women—gradually faded.

Although this author has previously looked at the history of anthropology of masculinity theories arising from the criticism of so-called “male domination,” this article introduces Mediterranean European research into the discussion. The reason for doing so is that even Utagawa, who leads anthropology of gender research in Japan, recognizes that practically all research groups nationwide deal with women, and that men and masculinity remain unexplored. In addition, there is insufficient ongoing work recognizing and relativizing the mainstream dominant gender discourse in target societies outside the country. Therefore, this paper will reexamine how ideas about manhood are taken for granted among the Tai peoples in mainland Southeast Asia, from the anthropology of masculinity viewpoint.

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2017 Japanese Society of Cultural Anthropology
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