This book offers a unique perspective on changing gender practices in post-conflict societies, looking at when and how masculinities change after armed conflicts. Building on original research data from Liberia, chapters look at the pathways of change in societal discourses, security sector institutions, and at the level of formatter combatants. Scrutinising the potential of peacebuilding for making conflict-related masculinities change after armed conflicts, the book develops a theoretical model that helps to understand both how violence-centred masculinities change after armed conflicts, and why profound changes of violent gender practices occur only rarely. What this book hopes to show is that masculinities can and do change after armed conflicts. Illuminating the intricate interrelationship between gendered practices within societal discourses, security sector institutions, and at the individual level in post-conflict societies, this book constitutes an invitation to rethinking our understanding of peacebuilding practices and their interconnectedness with gender, violence, and peace.
Author(s): Hendrik Quest
Series: Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 247
City: Cham
Acknowledgements
Interviews (all conducted November/December 2017 in Monrovia)
Contents
About the Author
Abbreviations
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 The Change of Post-Conflict Masculinities
1.1 The Central Arguments of the Book
1.2 Structured Chaos: On Violence-Centred Masculinities and Their Change
1.3 How to Research the Change of Violence-Centred Masculinities
1.4 Liberia as a Case Study
1.5 The Structure of the Book
References
2 A Theory of Violence-Centred Masculinities and Their Transformation
2.1 Towards a Model on the Transformation of Violence-Centred Masculinities
2.1.1 Explicating the Workings of Violence-Centred Masculinities
2.1.2 How to Change Violence-Centred Masculinities
2.2 Comprehensive Storyline Macro Level: Discursive Anchoring Practices
2.2.1 Point of Departure: Anchoring Practices in 2003
2.2.2 Initial Challenges
2.2.3 Follow-Up Measures
2.3 Comprehensive Storyline Meso Level: Institutional Anchoring Practices
2.3.1 Point of Departure: Anchoring Practices in 2003
2.3.2 Initial Challenges
2.3.3 Follow-Up Measures
2.4 Comprehensive Storyline Micro Level: Individual Logics of Practicality
2.5 Conclusions for Liberia
2.6 Theorising Violence-Centred Masculinities: Concluding Remarks
References
3 The Antagonism Between Men and Women
3.1 Identifying Practices Related to the Antagonism Between Men and Women
3.1.1 Practices of Violence-Centred and Not Violence-Centred Masculinities
3.1.2 Researching Masculinities in Liberia: Strategic and Ethical Considerations
3.2 Diversity of Gender Roles
3.2.1 Observed Change
3.2.2 Factors for the Observed Change
3.3 Acceptance of Women and Femininity in Security Sector Institutions
3.3.1 Observed Change
3.3.2 Factors for the Observed Change
3.4 Dominance as a Means to Affirm Masculinity
3.4.1 Observed Change
3.4.2 Factors for the Observed Change
3.5 Conclusion: The Change of the Antagonism Between Men and Women
References
4 The Antagonism Between Perpetrators and Victims
4.1 Identifying Practices Related to the Antagonism Between Perpetrators and Victims
4.1.1 Practices of Violence-Centred and Not Violence-Centred Masculinities
4.1.2 Researching Masculinities in Liberia: Strategic and Methodological Considerations
4.2 Hegemonic Constructions of Masculinity
4.2.1 Observed Change
4.2.2 Factors for the Observed Change
4.3 The Institutional Approach to Sexual Violence
4.3.1 Observed Change
4.3.2 Factors for the Observed Change
4.4 Individual Attitudes Towards Violence
4.4.1 Observed Change
4.4.2 Factors for the Observed Change
4.5 Conclusion: The Change of the Antagonism Between Perpetrators and Victims
References
5 The Antagonism Between Fighters and Civilians
5.1 Identifying Practices Related to the Antagonism Between Fighters and Civilians
5.1.1 Practices of Violence-Centred and Not Violence-Centred Masculinities
5.1.2 Researching Masculinities in Liberia: Strategic and Methodological Considerations
5.2 Evaluation of (Non-)combatant Masculinity
5.2.1 Observed Change
5.2.2 Factors for the Observed Change
5.3 Relationship Between Security Forces and Civilians
5.3.1 Observed Change
5.3.2 Factors for the Observed Change
5.4 Combatants’ Attitudes to Civilian Life
5.5 Conclusion: The Change of the Antagonism Between Fighters and Civilians
References
6 At Peace with Masculinities?
6.1 Critical Reflections on Masculinities and Gender Equality
6.2 Contributions to Academic Debates
6.3 Practical Implications
References
References
Index
