The Centre for South-East European Studies, SSEES/UCL, is organizing a
two-day conference to be held in London on 8-9 June 2002 to examine the
theme of ’Balkan Masculinities’ in a historical and interdisciplinary context.
At first glance, the topic may seem an unusual one for Balkan studies,
which — at least in the West — has conventionally focused more on
political and national history, traditionally understood, rather than on
social history or cultural perspectives. Women’s studies in South-East
Europe are only slowly beginning to develop, and research into gender
relations and ideologies is at its starting point.
Yet at the same time, popular perceptions have long imagined the Balkans as
characterised by a particular type of masculinity primitive, violent and
patriarchal. The bandit, the guerrilla or paramilitary, even the
unreconstructed Balkan male drinking in the kafana while his wife works -
all these are stereotypes that occur repeatedly in travel literature,
journalism and popular accounts about the region. The notion of a
culturally and historically determined ideal of manliness and heroism has
been used to explain everything from the character of Balkan political
institutions, to the persistence of traditional ’backward’ social and
economic patterns, to the violence of conflict in the region, most recently
in the Yugoslav wars.
The persistence of unexamined assumptions about the character and role of
masculinity in the Balkans suggests that this is an appropriate topic for
research. At the same time, new approaches to gender also raise questions
of masculinity more broadly. Such work - inspired primarily by women’s
studies - has led to fruitful perspectives on a range of issues extending
well beyond the private sphere, encouraging attention to the place of
gender in such processes as the development of nations ; secularization and
modernization ; the very notion of public politics. Still, even in such
research, men and masculinity have very often remained unexamined
categories, the unchanging, undifferentiated other against which ’woman’ is
defined. Both in terms of South-East European studies, and in gender
research more generally, problems of masculinity demand closer attention,
bringing together scholars across a variety of disciplines in a common
project. Only through such research can we begin to develop an adequate
understanding of the role that notions of manliness have played in the
area, and to challenge some of the more persistent stereotypes.
The convenors have framed the conference in terms of a series of questions
about changing definitions of masculinity, and the ways that understandings
of masculinity shape and are shaped by other patterns or processes
(pastoralism, sedentary agriculture ; warfare ; modernization,
industrialization, urbanization ; political ideologies such as nationalism
or socialism). In particular, we ask :
— What have been the definitions of ideal (and defective) masculinity ?
What influences (religious, economic, political, social) have shaped them ?
Through what sources can we study them ?
— How have these definitions changed or been challenged ? Is it possible to
identify turning points or shifts ? Or is a particular ideal of masculinity
a static element in Balkan society and culture ?
— How have ideas of masculinity been used ? To legitimate political
ideologies ; to mobilize populations ; to police dissent or non-conformity ;
to recruit soldiers, citizens, religious personnel ?
We encourage potential participants to send a brief, one-page summary of
possible conference contributions by 21 March. The final list of
participants will be announced shortly afterwards. There is a small amount
of maney available to assist with travel, accommodation and expenses for
conference participants ; those travelling from the region will have first
priority in the disbursement of these funds.
Further information is available from the following address :
Dr. Wendy Bracewell
Director, Centre for South-East European Studies
SSEES/UCL
Senate House, Malet Street
London WC1E 7HU
musko@ssees.ac.uk
