Power at Play: Sports and the Problem of Masculinity (Men and Masculinity) [Paperback]

Michael A. Messner (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 080704105X | ISBN-13: 978-0807041055 | Publication Date: April 30, 1995

Based on interviews with a diverse group of former high school, college, and professional athletes, Power at Play examines the important role sports play in defining masculinity for American men.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This provocative study by a sociology professor at the University of Southern California is based on interviews he conducted in the mid-1980s with 30 male former athletes (some of whom disliked being called "former") whose involvement with organized sport occurred in either high school, college or professional leagues. Examining "the relationship between the development of masculine identities and the structure of sport as a social institution," Messner observes that the increased participation of women in sports--which, he notes, prompted his book--and a growing acceptance of gay athletes pose a powerful challenge to traditional notions of games as macho (and sexist and homophobic) activities. Among other striking observations in this well-documented analysis, Messner suggests that the feminist revolution of the 1960s and '70s may have stimulated a burgeoning interest in pro football, the most violent of major American sports, on the part of "threatened" males. With graceful prose and a broad scope, the book offers a feast of ideas.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Messner (sociology, Univ. of Southern California) attempts to resolve the role of sports in male society. The author, who has co-edited other volumes on men's studies, examines the effects of athletics on male development from boyhood through midlife. In search of common bonds, he interviews 30 former athletes. By analyzing early experiences, careers, and post-sports lives, Messner identifies how each male athlete's identity was molded and how each used his participation to attain goals. Appendixes offer details of each athlete's careers and backgrounds (racial, social, and economic) and a synopsis of the interview process. This engrossing volume will appeal more to sociologists than sports fans.
- Jeffrey Gay, Bridgewater P.L., Mass.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (April 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080704105X
• ISBN-13: 978-0807041055
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,107,860 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael A. Messner was born in Salinas, California, and educated from kindergarten to Ph.D. in California's once-great public schools. He lives in South Pasadena with sociologist and author Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, and they have two sons, Miles and Sasha. Since 1987 Messner has worked as a professor of sociology and gender studies at the University of Southern California. The author of several books, he teaches and speaks publicly on issues of gender-based violence, the lives of men and boys, and gender and sports. Plain View Press has released his new book, King of the Wild Suburb: A Memoir of Fathers, Sons and Guns.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice..Long, but Nice, June 12, 2000

By 

Jonathan Ashley - See all my reviews

This review is from: Power at Play: Sports and the Problem of Masculinity (Men and Masculinity) (Paperback)

It's a kind of tedious read, but the central idea (at least what I came away as the central idea) is great: masculinity, and athletics aren't two bad notions in and of themselves. But when you put the two together, and not properly supervised, you can come up with some horrible stuff. He goes about proving this by interviewing some ex-jocks and comes up with some great material. It's basically a sociological sutdy, but works out nicely.