Men are the majority of politicians but the minority of political science research subjects. This project is the first systematic study of how men are represented in politics, examining who speaks for them, what they say, and what effects this has on policy. The problem is that male dominance in politics has created a blind spot. Male politicians are less diverse than female politicians in race and class, yet their gendered needs—in education, health, and employment—vary sharply between different groups of men. Elite male politicians do not share the interests of working-class or minority men, so policies can end up serving neither women nor disadvantaged men. Meanwhile, masculine political cultures discourage open discussion of sensitive topics and encourage elite men to protect their own power. If successful, MENSREP will provide a framework to distinguish between representation that supports feminism and inclusion, and representation that defends the status quo or feeds extremist movements. This could reshape how political parties recruit candidates, how parliaments handle men’s issues, and how policymakers address gendered problems in health, education, and employment. The research is primarily fundamental—it opens a new field of study—but its findings could directly counter the narratives of anti-feminist movements and improve how democratic institutions serve all citizens.
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MENSREP breaks new ground theoretically and empirically as the first study to examine the political representation of men. Male dominance in politics fosters complacency about men's representation, yet male politicians are less diverse than their female counterparts on measures such as race and class. This matters, because men have distinctive gendered needs that intersect with their other traits. For example, education and health outcomes are gendered in ways that vary between different groups of men. The interests of elite male politicians are not the same as those of other men, resulting in policies that disserve many men. Cultures of masculinity in politics hinder discussion of sensitive topics and also motivate elite men to preserve their dominance at the expense of women and disadvantaged men. MENSREP argues that more diversity in politics - both between the sexes and within them - can improve representational outcomes for men and women. Building on my pioneering work in this area, it looks at how men are represented, by whom, and to what effect. It identifies the "critical actors" who make claims on behalf of men, and explores linkages between politicians and men's movements. It develops a new theoretical framework for examining the ideology of critical actors, the groups they are targeting, and their end goals. The framework helps us to distinguish between representation that is aligned with or hostile to feminism, that is inclusive of diverse men or narrow in its focus, and that seeks to be transformative or to defend the status quo. MENSREP uses mixed methods, including quantitative analysis of whether more diverse legislatures produce better outcomes for men; network analysis of the relationships between politicians and men's movements; interviews; and content analysis of parliamentary debates. MENSREP opens up a whole new research field, offers a much-needed counter-narrative to extremist movements, and has the potential to address major policy problems.
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