Masculinities: Football, Polo and the Tango in Argentina

Description

The complex relationship between nationalism and masculinity has been explored both historically and sociologically with one consistent conclusion: male concepts of courage and virility are at the core of nationalism. In this ground-breaking book, the author questions this assumption and advances the debate through an empirical analysis of masculinity in the revealing contexts of same-sex (football and polo) and cross-sex (tango) relations. Because of its rich history, Argentina provides the ideal setting in which to study the intersection of masculine and national constructs: hybridization, creolization and a culture of performance have all informed both gender and national identities. Further, the author argues that, counter to claims made by globalization theorists, the importance of performance to Argentinian men and women has a long history and has powerfully shaped the national psyche. But this book takes the analysis far beyond national boundaries to address general arguments in anthropology which are not culture-specific, and the discussion poses important comparative questions and addresses central theoretical issues, from the interplay of morality and ritual, to a comparison between the popular and the aristocratic, to the importance of 'othering' in national constructions - particularly those relating to sport. This book represents a major contribution, not only to anthropology, but to the study of gender, nationalism and culture in its broadest sense.

Eduardo P. Archetti Professor of Social Anthropology,University of Oslo

'A fascinating book.' Critique of Anthropology 'A most interesting book.' Culture, Sport & Society 'Archetti's volume provides a fascinating introduction to the worlds of male-dominated sports in Argentina, and how notions of maleness are related to the formation of a national identity.' Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 'This is a most ambitious text relating to multiple models of masculinity in the three domains of football, polo, and the tango to changing Argentinian nationalism: a fascinating and successful exercise. There are other domains of masculinity, of course, as Archetti acknowledges ... I hope we will hear more from his informants with their anecdotes and reminiscences.' American Anthropologist 'Eduardo Archetti's works have pioneered the cultural studies of Argentinian sport. They have helped to constitute a field of study which nowadays is expanding constantly largely because of his encouragement ... 'Masculinities' represents the climax of his research work ... The text that results is particularly novel. ... 'Masculinities' stands outfor its richness and originality, but fundamentally for its potential capacity, explaining the intricate patterns of the popular identities which are and were synchronically and diachronically reproduced in different scenarios.' Soccer and Society 'Archetti covers a lot of ground in this rich and varied book. The work is theoretically sophisticated and based on wide-ranging scholarship.' Journal of Latin American Studies 'Archetti's book is a fascinating study of masculinity, national identity and body practices...' Deborah Heifetz-Yahav, Tel Aviv University