AMSA at 20: where have we been? Where shall we go? In color and sexual expression.
Harris, Whitney Stewart
The American Man's Studies Association (AMSA) owes its birth
to a convergence of different ideas, concepts, and expectations
regarding men and masculinities. While a chronicle of the details of the
organization's origins is offered elsewhere, understanding that the
organization grew out of a convergence as opposed to a more
unidirectional framework is important to appreciating the place and role
that the study of the performance of masculinities in color has enjoyed
throughout the group's history. It is precisely because of this
convergence that the research and culturally responsive therapies
regarding masculinities in color has thrived in this predominantly White
organization. Rather than finding a "place" in the
organization, masculinities in color were a part of this "coming
together." Thus from the beginning, though AMSA was and still is a
predominantly White organization, it has never been, like so many other
research and professional organizations, a White organization. (1) In
many of these organizations diversity is tolerated or celebrated, while
in AMSA diversity is a foundational component.
Structurally, the organization's board of directors has
enjoyed a significant level of diversity at many levels. The board has
consistently included women and men of color. Of course, the diversity
of the board extends beyond those two contingencies to include persons
with disabilities and same-gender-loving persons, as well as citizens of
other countries. This elected very diverse board both represents the
inclusive nature of AMSA and has fostered multiculturalism and the
spirit of globalism.
Of note is that although the young scholar Richard G. Majors joined
with Jacob U. Gordon to launch the National Council of African American
Men, now defunct, and the Journal of African American Men, now the
Journal of African American Studies, participation by African Americans
scholars and practitioners in the fledging American Men's Studies
Association continued to grow (Harris & Ferguson, 2010). Obviously,
many factors probably account for this phenomenon, but fortunately,
scholars and the study of African-American masculinities have flourished
in AMSA. AMSA through its very multicultural nature continues to provide
a venue for the nurturing of African-American scholars and scholarship
on Black masculinities. This is true not only for African-American
masculinities, but also for African and African diaspora masculinities.
For example, from 1993 to 2011, there were approximately 9 of an
average of 52 presentations per conference regarding issues of
masculinities of color (Cohen & Suen, 2012). Therefore, almost 20
percent of the presentations were on issues of race and ethnicity. While
Cohen and Suen (2012) do not define race, my experience at the
conferences (all but one of those under review) gives me a high comfort
level in saying that the majority of these presentations were about
Black masculinities. However, true to its nature a number of
international scholars, such as those from Hong Kong, Russia, the Nordic
countries, and Canada, have not only presented at AMSA conferences, but
for many years AMSA has had board members who were not American
citizens. This remains true today. We had one conference in Canada,
adding to AMSA's international flavor.
AMSA has also included scholarship on gay, bisexual, transgendered,
transsexual, and various other forms of gender-bending masculinities.
Scholars of and performances of these forms of masculinities formed a
part of the convergence that not only created but helped to sustain
AMSA. While it would be difficult to determine the level of
participation and the amount of scholarship representing these
expressions of masculinities, again, my experience with the organization
is that this work has been a significant part of AMSA's history.
Because of this inclusiveness, AMSA has historically, been a place
that welcomes work that explores the intersections of race and gender,
race, masculinity, and economics, and their impact on expressions of
masculinities. In fact, I propose that the exploration of these and
other intersections with masculinities has made an important
contribution of AMSA to gender studies. Interdisciplinary in its
conception, intersectionality as a locus of study of men and
masculinities is a natural fit. AMSA continues to provide an
intellectual space for the exploration of ideas, theories, concepts, and
therapies that explore the intersections of masculinities of color and
other issues, such as White privilege, gender and sexual identity and
expression, socio-economic justice, and religion.
As the organization moves forward, it is my hope that AMSA will
find new ways of expanding opportunities for this work. This will
require a continued commitment to creating spaces for the inclusion of
diverse masculinities of all performances and expressions.
Through the use of an affiliated journal, The Journal of Men
Studies, special interests groups, electronic communications, and above
all the annual conferences, AMSA is in a good place to support and
enhance the study of diverse masculinities of color and other identities
and expressions.
REFERENCES
Cohen, J., & Suen, Y-T. (2012). Taking stock: Exploring trends
in the field of men's studies through a content analysis of the
American Men's Studies Association (AMSA) annual conference
programs (1993-2011). The Journal of Men's Studies, 20(1), 73-83.
Harris, W., & Ferguson, R. (2010). What's up with the
brothers: Essays and studies on African American masculinities.
Harriman, TN: Men's Studies Press.
(1) The same is true for its affiliated journal, The Journal of
Men's Studies. Not only has its staff been diverse, but a cursory
glance at the articles reveals that the journal is diverse and also
global in its content.
WHITNEY STEWART HARRIS, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
System.
Correspondence concerning this article should be sent to the
author, 1289 Fallbrook Lane, Woodbury, MN 55125. Email:
Hwhitney311973MI@comcast.net
DOI: 10.3149/jms.2101.47
