In the era of sports dominance in America, athletics have become both a metaphor and reality of American masculinity. Edited by three of the leading scholars at the intersection of masculinity and sports studies, this volume offers a fascinating articulation on the state of athletics in modern society. Each part of the volume examines a significant arena and tackles some of the most deeply rooted issues within the field of sports. From the mechanisms by which masculinity is interwoven into sports to the violence encoded within the field, this book provides an insiders look at the state of gender relations.

"The reader, whether a professional health care worker, researcher, clinician, or concerned individual, will obtain a clearer perspective on the connections between men's health and gender, along with a broader conceptualization of the experiences of men in contemporary society. --Choice Men's Health and Illness contextualizes men's health issues within the broader theoretical framework of the new men's studies. This framework focuses on the profound influence of gender on social life and individual experience. The editors and chapter contributors of this groundbreaking volume argue that gender is a key factor for understanding the patterns of men's health risks, the ways men perceive and use their bodies, and men's psychological adjustment to illness itself. Part I introduces readers to men's studies perspectives and explains their relevance for understanding men's health. Part II explores the linkages between traditional gender roles, men's health, and larger structural and cultural contexts, and Part III examines the implications of multiple masculinities for health issues. The scope of this volume is both multidisciplinary and international. The authors use quantitative and qualitative research methodologies which provide a well-rounded analysis of the subject matter. Taken collectively, the contributions to Men's Health and Illness reflect current efforts by men's studies practitioners to develop theoretical explanations of men's lives that also refer to the influences of class, race, ethnicity, sexual preference, and age. "This collaborative effort in presenting research and theories is so significant that it should become part of the literature studied by advocates of women's studies and men's studies. The reader, whether professional healthcare worker, researcher, clinician, or concerned individual will obtain a clearer perspective on the connections between men's health and gender, along with a broader conceptualization of the experiences of men in contemporary society. Upper-division undergraduate through professional." --Choice

In the era of sports dominance in America, athletics have become both a metaphor and reality of American masculinity. Edited by three of the leading scholars at the intersection of masculinity and sports studies, this volume offers a fascinating articulation on the state of athletics in modern society. Each part of the volume examines a significant arena and tackles some of the most deeply rooted issues within the field of sports. From the mechanisms by which masculinity is interwoven into sports to the violence encoded within the field, this book provides an insiders look at the state of gender relations.