The course examines men and the construction of masculinities in a historical perspective. While men are responsible for the important events and developments in Western history, when we look at religion, politics, the economy, science, military conquests and defeats they have not, until recently been analyzed as gendered subjects and from a gender perspective.
We will examine processes of feminization and masculinization and the connection between the civilizing process that according to the sociologist Norbert Elias has taken place in the West since the high middle ages, and such processes. The class begins with the court society, the Italian Renaissance image of the courtier and ends with the construction of masculinity in Zionism.

Course requirements: Students are required to attend all class sessions. Poor attendance will adversely affect the final grade.
There will be one take home exam which will be based on class lectures and the required readings.