The Meanings of Macho: Being a Man in Mexico City (Men and Masculinity) [SPECIAL EDITION] (Paperback)

by Matthew C. Gutmann (Author) "In this book I examine what it means to be a man, ser hombre, for men and women who live in the colonia popular of..." (more)
Key Phrases: been jurado, other colonias populares, popular urban movements, Santo Domingo, Mexico City, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Gutmann has done the hithertofore seemingly unthinkable. [A] wholly other vision of Mexican gender relations emerges." - Jose Limon, American Anthropologist "This book does for the study of men what two generations of feminist anthropologists have done for the study of women." - Lynn Stephen, author of Zapotec Women"

Product Description
In this compelling study of machismo in Mexico City, Matthew Gutmann overturns many stereotypes of male culture in Mexico and offers a sensitive and often surprising look at how Mexican men see themselves, parent their children, relate to women, and talk about sex. This tenth anniversary edition features a new preface that updates the stories of the book's key protagonists.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 362 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 2 edition (October 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520250133
• ISBN-13: 978-0520250130
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #547,469 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anthropology cracking macho code?, November 15, 2002

By	Jon C. Tevik "jontevik" (Loddefjord, Bergen Norway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Meanings of Macho : Being a Man in Mexico City (Men and Masculinity) (Paperback)

Gutmann's endeavour to analyse the hegemonic and stereotypical notions of machismo, a most ambiguous term both in scientific and popular literature, results in a very comprehensive work where patient nuance is at the core of the engaging analysis. The demographic in the study is working class people (allow for the suggestion of other discourses of manhood to exist in other stratas of the society) in a part of Mexico City, and Gutmann manages to present the socioeconomic realities in which the lives recorded take place. It's an honest account, vitalised by the reflections and comments on personal experiences and emotions in the field. The writing is very seductive, inasmuch as the flowing and engaging style of the study evokes empathy on the part of the reader. The weaving together of chapters dealing with different aspects of his informants' lives (child rearing, division of labour, sexuality, alcohol consumption etc), is masterly done in eliciting the subtleties of the phenomenon that is being macho. Gutmann touches on morality, hegemonic discourses and practices relating to manhood and gendered values, the contestation of these and the emergence of new roles and identities located in the universe of gender. Drawing on concepts like contradictory consciousness, it might be suggested that the writer situates himself in the theoretical landscape where importance is given to actors' strategies and adaptation, however, never failing to outline the objective structures providing the explanatory framework for individual agency. A thouroughly enjoyable read, both for the insights it provides, and for the sheer way they are presented.

7 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful anthropology study of Mexican colonia., October 5, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: The Meanings of Macho : Being a Man in Mexico City (Men and Masculinity) (Paperback)

Anthropology should be so insightful. Gutmann, wife Michelle McKenzie and daughter spent a year in the colonia Santo Domingo from 1992-1993. The publisher calls this the "first detailed ethnography of machismo in Mexico." With vignettes and theory in hand, Gutmann carefully reviews the stereotype of "macho" with the finesse of a classical novelist. Again, the University of California Press demonstrates that academic work doesn't need to be boring!