Exploring masculinities in a microcosm : a qualitative study of men’s understanding of masculinities and gender-based violence (GBV) in a male prison population in South Africa (SA)

Performances of masculinities and context-specific perceptions of what it means to be a man play a significant role in shaping men’s attitudes and behaviours related to violence. While masculinities present differently in varying contexts, depending on societal norms, beliefs and cultures. Research in SA shows that some men who cannot attain financial dominance adopt violence towards ‘subordinate’ men and women as a means to ascertain their hegemony. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a serious issue globally, and its prevalence has reached pandemic proportions in South Africa (SA). Women bear the brunt of GBV, including sexual violence and femicide, at the hands of violent men. Men are the primary perpetrators, and evidence shows that some ‘hegemonic’ dominant masculine norms upheld by men in varying parts of the world exacerbate GBV. This study aimed to explore masculinities in a South African prison context and how prison-based masculine ideals influence offenders’ perceptions and experiences of violence related to gender. A qualitative research design was employed to explore masculinities from the experiences of men within a South African prison. Fifty-four hours of ethnographic observation and two waves [(1) n=24; (2) n=16] of semi-structured in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted. Participants were men between the ages of 18 and 35 years, with a year or more of their prison sentence remaining before eligibility for parole. In addition, an expert confirmatory Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was conducted with six social workers. A descriptive analysis of the ethnographic data and a thematic analysis of IDIs were employed to identify patterns in the data, focusing on the men’s experiences of masculinities in their communities before incarceration, how they transitioned, adapted, socialised, and performed in prison and how particular practices of masculinity contributed to acts of violence and control within the prison. This study adds to theorisations of masculinities in South Africa. It contributes to a gap in what has been largely northern hemisphere-focused theorisations of masculinities. ‘Real men’ were identified as performing dominant societal masculine ideals, while violent masculinities - ‘amajita’ - resulted from men’s inability to attain hegemonic masculine dominance in their community, which then often transitioned into prisons. This study found that prisons offer a microcosm of society where exaggerated heteronormative masculine norms intersect with broader societal inequalities, such as poverty, unemployment, and patriarchal systems, which exacerbates and produce new forms of GBV. By focusing on the prison environment, this research provides a nuanced understanding of how masculine ideals are reproduced, the role they play in sustaining violence, and their implications for reintegration into communities. Findings from this study provide context-specific evidence to existing literature and understandings of masculinities. This contribution could inform future research and evidence-based interventions aimed at mitigating the socialisation of violent behaviours, thus reducing GBV by targeting extreme masculine norms and behaviours in prisons. This study also adds to theories of prison surveillance, where new forms of social control enforced by dominant men through direct observations and punishment influence offenders' behaviours and worsen violence.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Author dc:creator

• Ngcobo, Seluleko Eric

Contributors dc:contributor

• Miller, Tina
• Bekaert, Sarah
• Wignall, Ross

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/3p8h-wv61

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:3cdcae3e-28cb-414c-b917-40171ed89a3b:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1