Men, Masculinities, and Popular Romance

Description

Men, Masculinities, and Popular Romance seeks to open a lively and accessible discussion between critical studies of men and masculinities and popular romance studies, especially its continued interest in what Janice Radway has called "the purity of his maleness." Popular romance novels, perhaps more than any other genre, explore sexuality and gender, creating an ideal space in which to consider and explore theoretical models that think seriously about gender. The romance novel has long been criticized and celebrated by feminist critics. How can these novels maintain, according to some, feminist ideals, while also upholding what Raewyn Connell has long theorized as "hegemonic masculinity"? This volume is an original and important contribution examining the previously underexamined nexus of masculinity and popular romance studies. It will be of key interest to undergraduates and postgraduates in Masculinities, Gender and Women’s Studies, and Literary Studies, and highly relevant to courses in Masculinity Studies, Pop Culture Studies, Queer Studies and Sexuality Studies. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents List of figures Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Studying the popular romance novel 2. Desiring hegemonic masculinity 3. Reconsidering the money shot: orgasm and masculinity 4. Theorising male virginity in popular romance fiction 5. Slashing and queering popular romance fiction 6. Towards an anatomy of male/male popular romance novel 7. Vanilla sex, or reading pornography romantically Conclusion Epilogue: Are billionaires still sexy? Bibliography Index