The male sex role theory popularized by Robert Brannon created a great foundation for gender studies, specifically studies concerning masculinity. The following essay will uncover his research design and analysis, his key contributions to the theory, and some strengths and weaknesses of his theory. Ultimately, the central premise is to show how his conception of masculinity and the sex role, in particular, has many faults and lacks evidentiary basis, which conclusively leads to its demise.
First off, it is important to note that the nature of the research design is lacking in many respects. Robert Brannon’s publication of the male sex role theory adopted a mixed method analysis approach. Brannon said himself that he preferred experimental …show more content…
The one strength I want to allude to is that Brannon provides an amazing analysis of lived experience and personalities of men. Yet by the late 1970s, many sociologists were arguing that the framework should be abandoned as it does not account for questions of power and material inequality (Carrigan, Connell, & Lee, 1985). Aside from being a binary concept, which is often hard to live up to, this is one of Brannon’s weaknesses which ultimately led to his theory being replaced by R.W Connell’s Hegemonic Masculinity Theory. Brannon completely overlooks the relationship between men and women and treats them as if they were separate but equal entities (Carrigan, Connell, & Lee, 1985). He does not take into the patriarchal society we all live in, where women are being dominated and subordinated by men. In addition, as previously mentioned, he does not take into account the experiences of different types of classes, ethnicities, or races and how they fit into the underlying themes of masculinity. Moreover, Brannon neglects to include any structural components of society that may have an effect on men such as gendered institutions (Lafrance, 2017). An example would be the exclusion of males in teaching and nurturing fields of the workplace. All these cases are what ultimately led to his theory’s demise.
In conclusion, the premise of this essay was to show how Robert Brannon’s conception of masculinity and his theory in general, was problematic in many ways. This was achieved through the analysis of his research design, his key contributions and theory itself, and his strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, this essay proves that his evidentiary support was lacking, making his theory come apart at the seams, and conclusively leading to a new conceptualization of masculinity, the Hegemonic Masculinity
First off, it is important to note that the nature of the research design is lacking in many respects. Robert Brannon’s publication of the male sex role theory adopted a mixed method analysis approach. Brannon said himself that he preferred experimental …show more content…
The one strength I want to allude to is that Brannon provides an amazing analysis of lived experience and personalities of men. Yet by the late 1970s, many sociologists were arguing that the framework should be abandoned as it does not account for questions of power and material inequality (Carrigan, Connell, & Lee, 1985). Aside from being a binary concept, which is often hard to live up to, this is one of Brannon’s weaknesses which ultimately led to his theory being replaced by R.W Connell’s Hegemonic Masculinity Theory. Brannon completely overlooks the relationship between men and women and treats them as if they were separate but equal entities (Carrigan, Connell, & Lee, 1985). He does not take into the patriarchal society we all live in, where women are being dominated and subordinated by men. In addition, as previously mentioned, he does not take into account the experiences of different types of classes, ethnicities, or races and how they fit into the underlying themes of masculinity. Moreover, Brannon neglects to include any structural components of society that may have an effect on men such as gendered institutions (Lafrance, 2017). An example would be the exclusion of males in teaching and nurturing fields of the workplace. All these cases are what ultimately led to his theory’s demise.
In conclusion, the premise of this essay was to show how Robert Brannon’s conception of masculinity and his theory in general, was problematic in many ways. This was achieved through the analysis of his research design, his key contributions and theory itself, and his strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, this essay proves that his evidentiary support was lacking, making his theory come apart at the seams, and conclusively leading to a new conceptualization of masculinity, the Hegemonic Masculinity