Overview

Material Masculinities examines the material and consumer practices of over 1000 men from the middling and upper ranks of eighteenth-century society, c.1650-1850. It draws upon evidence from over 35 archives and museum collections to detail how material objects were integral for men in forming identities and shaping experiences. For men of all social ranks, ages, and geographic locations, material knowledge was imperative for masculine social identities to operate in a commercial society. Before the centralised factory and widespread mass-produced goods, men personalised and repaired their goods; products were shaped by men's attitudes and concerns. Objects were tools in men's identity formation and the exercise of social and gendered power. There was a reciprocal relationship between men and goods in this period; men were active agents of material and commercial change driving product and aesthetic innovation.

Full Product Details

9781526180605

Table of Contents

Reviews

“This is an excellent book. Material Masculinities is the most wide-ranging account to date of men’s material experience in the eighteenth century, taking in the whole lifecycle and a fascinating array of goods. This perspective enables Jackson to present significant conclusions about the nature of gender, material culture and the body.” - Matthew McCormack, University of Northampton ""This book makes a significant contribution to the literature, going beyond masculinity as a cultural construct to explore its essential materiality. Meticulously researched and drawing on a wide array of sources on middling and elite men from across Britain, it demonstrates the importance of material goods to gendered power and illustrates the many ways in which men shaped goods through product innovation. It is sure to be essential reading for scholars of gender, material culture and consumption."" - Jon Stobart, Manchester Metropolitan University ""Material Masculinities is essential reading for those interested in questions of masculinity, material culture and material practices in the eighteenth century."" - Kate Smith, University of Birmingham -- .

Author Information

Ben Jackson is a British Academy Research Fellow at the University of Manchester.

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