Asst. Prof. Meltem Narter's new book puts the perception of masculinity under the microscope

Asst. Prof. Meltem Narter’s book titled “The Social Psychology of Being a Man”, from Üsküdar University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, was published by Nobel Publications. Narter, who addresses the perception of masculinity from a social psychology perspective, evaluates the role of gender norms, culture, and language in the formation of masculine identity in the book. Emphasizing that masculinity is not a biological destiny, Narter draws attention to the fact that male dominance and social inequalities should not be considered natural or immutable.  

Asst. Prof. Meltem Narter from Üsküdar University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, who addresses the concept of masculinity from a social psychology perspective in her book, explained the process of the book's emergence and her assessments regarding the perception of masculinity.

“I come from a discipline that strives to produce science to understand humans” 

Asst. Prof. Meltem Narter, who has been conducting studies in the field of social psychology for thirty years, explained the motivation that led her to write her book. Narter stated: “Generally, the motivation for an academic to write a book is thought to be the desire or ambition to rapidly ascend academic ranks. My motivation does not encompass such an expectation. If you have a sensitivity to life and what is happening around you, and if you possess knowledge and methods that you believe can solve issues you perceive as problems, you cannot refrain from trying. I, too, am someone who has been reading, working, producing in social psychology, and striving to educate students for thirty years. For all these reasons, I wanted to try to understand the increasing violence, injustice, and the growing helplessness against them in the world, and to share my findings. No matter how you look at it, all these happenings are products of humanity; I come from a discipline that strives to produce science to understand humans, and I believe that was my greatest motivation.”  

Culture produces, society dictates, language mediates 

Narter, in her assessments of how masculinity is approached from a social psychology perspective, stated that identity cannot be explained solely by biological characteristics. Narter said: “Social psychology investigates what is produced at the intersection of the biological and the cultural. The concept of identity is not merely a condition tied to the biological essence of a human being. It refers to consciousness, representation, image, and emotions. Identity is always constructed in relation to an 'other' and involves positions taken according to norms, which are the main line of social behavior. As social constructivism and discursive psychology approaches demonstrate, humans mutually construct both themselves and their world within the context of the culture, language, history, and communication they are born into. From a social psychology perspective, masculinity is not an individual choice or a biological given, but a social construct produced by culture, dictated by society, and mediated by language. Being born with a male body does not automatically confer the qualification of being a man. Masculinity is a social process acquired, delimited, and expected to be continuously proven through performance during socialization, mediated by gender norms, cultural expectations, and language patterns.”  

“Societal expectations create pressure on men”

Narter, evaluating the impact of societal expectations regarding male roles on men's self-perception and psychological processes, stated that these expectations can turn into a constant effort to prove oneself. Narter said: “Many societies generally expect men to exhibit a stance of overcoming difficulties, being resistant to stress, enduring physical and emotional pain, being combative when necessary, and not shying away from violence. For example, men are expected to be responsible for the honor of women and children in their immediate environment, to single-handedly bear the livelihood of their families, to stay away from housework, to remain rational, to be football fans, and to drive cars. The sum of these expectations transforms a man's life into a never-ending ‘state of being’ and a continuous effort to prove himself. Unlike womanhood, masculinity carries a quality that can be revoked at any moment, as it is an artificial construct bestowed by society. This situation can create constant high-performance pressure and deep anxiety for men. A man who cannot fulfill normative masculine roles may feel worthless, inadequate, and tense. The punishment society inflicts upon him is extremely severe: being considered cowardly, soft, unsuccessful, poor, or impotent. Studies show that when men's responsibilities as head of the family are damaged or when norms against femininity are shaken, they perceive this as a direct threat, and this fragility triggers mechanisms that legitimize violence against women.”

“The costs men pay for social advantages are very high”

Narter, referring to the consequences of expectations such as being strong, not showing emotions, and taking responsibility in men's lives, said; “The so-called ‘positive’ aspect of these expectations is that they grant men a certain comfort zone, head-of-household status, social standing, power, and law-making authority within the patriarchal order. However, as Robert William Connell explained with his concept of ‘hegemonic masculinity,’ the costs men pay for these social advantages are very high. The heaviest of these costs is that masculinity is almost always acquired at the expense of humanity. The restriction of emotionality, and the imposition of valor and toughness, lead men to completely shut off from their abilities for compassion, gentleness, flexibility, and inclusiveness. Since being sensitive to a baby's needs, providing care, and forming an emotional bond are coded as threats that would cause loss of power and weaken masculinity, fatherhood is sacrificed for masculinity. Furthermore, because men are constantly forced to prove their power to both women and other men, they experience violence, competition, and exhaustion in every area, from deadly risk-taking races in traffic to hierarchical pressures in team sports.”

“Domestic roles are undergoing a transformation”

Narter, stating that the perception of masculinity is also undergoing a transformation with the changing social roles and family structure, said; “As women and men change, fatherhood and domestic roles are also undergoing a transformation. Men have begun to transform from merely figures who convey the rules of the outside world and provide for the household, into individuals involved in the care and education of their children. The inclusion of men in domestic practices within the division of household labor can create hybrid spaces in new generations where egalitarian understandings and traditional structures are experienced together. However, it should be noted that this transformation is extremely slow and resistant. Even as digitalization, technology, and consumption speed increase, gender identities, the institution of family, and parental roles are the slowest changing areas at the mindset level. Change certainly exists, but it seems likely to progress painfully due to deep cultural resistances.”  

“I want it to attract the attention of readers from all segments”

Narter, stating that she wants the book to reach readers from various segments beyond the academic framework, drew attention to the importance of making everyday perceptions of masculinity visible. Narter said: “Beyond the academic framework, in my book, I also aimed to uncover the accepted notions of masculinity hidden in everyday language, proverbs, idioms, and common sense. Therefore, I would like it to attract the attention of readers from all segments. I hope that after reading this book, readers will reflect on the fact that male dominance, power, and law-making authority are not a law of nature or a biological necessity, but entirely a human construct.”

“We must question all variables that brought us here”

Narter, emphasizing the importance of discussing masculinity for understanding violence against women and social inequalities, said; “Today, talking about masculinity is of vital importance because for years, while discussing violence against women and inequality, we always asked woman-centric questions, whereas the powerful one was the man. We neglected to question how men came to this position. We must move away from a passive language that obscures the perpetrator of violence against women and directly discuss the roots of violence produced by men themselves and fragile masculinity. Today, our planet, climate, agriculture, and societies face major crises. We have come to this point thanks to a masculine mindset that deems it legitimate to possess and oppress nature and humans, and the resulting ambition for dominance. To reduce, resolve, and even solve violence and crises, at the point we have reached today, we must question all the variables that brought us here. In my book, I wanted to delineate the boundaries of this framework. I aimed to ask the right questions by moving masculinity away from being a biological destiny and opening it up for discussion on the grounds of social representations, cultural anthropology, and gender. I want my book to draw attention to the illusion that male and paternal power is a natural outcome of nature. At the same time, I wish for it to lead women and men, all people, to reflect on a non-violent and balanced life construct where they can meet on the common ground of 'being human'.” she concluded.