“Men Are Hard … Women Are Soft”: Muslim Men and the Construction of Masculine Identity

Abstract

Based on data gained from semi-structured interviews with 30 Muslim men in Glasgow (Scotland), this chapter considers how men perform and construct masculinity in their everyday life; the meanings they attach to, and associate with masculinity, how they construct and articulate their masculine identity, but also how masculinity acquires meaning. Particular attention is paid to the role religion plays in providing participants with a context through which they construct and negotiate their masculine identity, especially to understand and promote traditional forms of masculinity. The chapter begins with an overview of the studies that have dominated in the research of masculinity in the social sciences. Masculinity, for the purpose of this research is defined as the social construct comprising of values and qualities that are commonly associated with the male. A review of recent studies on the construction of Muslim men’s masculinity is also undertaken. This is followed by closely examining participants’ narratives on how they construct, define and maintain their masculine identities.