Politics Taster Session - The new ‘crisis of masculinity’ & the future of gender politics in Britain

Booking Deadline:

In the United Kingdom, statistics show that: 
- Men are expected to die almost three years younger than women. 
- Young men are less likely to go to university. 
- Young men are more than 10 times more likely to end up in prison and almost twice as likely as women to be victims of violent crime. 
These facts, alongside shifts in social structure and the economy, have led some to ask whether British masculinity is in crisis. At the same time women’s rights organisations point out that, despite higher education, women: 
- Earn less than men. 
- Do almost double the care work. 
- Are outnumbered almost 2/1 in boards for the largest publicly listed companies, local councils and parliament. 
Further, they highlight the facts that the vast majority of violent crime against all genders is perpetrated by men, almost two women are killed each week by men, and the majority of those women being killed by their male intimate partner. How should we understand the tension between the challenges men face and the enduring disadvantages experienced by women and gender-diverse folk? 
In this taster session, you will interrogate the contentious debates over ‘toxic masculinity’ and the crisis of masculinity in Britain. Led by Dr David Duriesmith, we’ll discuss the future of gender politics and whether we are facing a ‘crisis of masculinity’ or a ‘crisis of gender inequality’ There will be plenty of time to ask questions, share your thoughts and reflect on your experiences.