Männlichkeiten: Autoritäre Rückschläge und emanzipatorische Perspektiven

Abstract

Current authoritarian developments reveal a social remasculinization and an authoritarian re-sovereignization of masculinities. These shifts fuel a resurgence of masculinist identity politics that normalizes violence, homo- and transphobia, and sexism while rejecting gender equality, pluralism, and democratic values. Social work and men’s work must respond proactively to these tendencies. This article links theoretical concepts from critical masculinity studies with empirical analyses of remasculinization and anti-emancipatory dynamics. It examines right-wing, authoritarian, and honor-culture ideals and connects them with the author’s practice-based insights from anti-violence counselling in Vienna. The article argues that transformative men’s work must integrate individual, discursive, political, and affective dimensions in order to counter authoritarian trends and strengthen democratic culture.

Keywords: authoritarian masculinities, critical men’s work, remasculinization, caring masculinities, performativity, gender, affect and power