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Summary Report on Trinity Term 2009 ‘Rethinking Gender in the 21st Century:

Masculinities, Well-being and Health’ Seminars St. Antony’s College

Prepared by Yiu-tung Suen

This ground-breaking seminar series, sponsored by the Conferences and Speakers Fund of St. Antony’s College, explored the impact of masculinities on well-being and health. The lectures were given at 5pm on Wednesdays of week 2 to week 5 in the Dahrendorf Room, St Antony's College. This report provides a summary of achievement of the seminar series.

‘Makes me think of ageing x gender in Oxfordshire.’

Paul Cann Chief Executive

Age Concern Oxfordshire (attended 2 seminars)

‘Your series struck me as very unusual when I saw the details.’

Martin Harrington Editor, Oxford University Gazette

‘This kind of thing is way overdue at St Antony's and is a truly fantastic initiative. Well done!’

Current Student St. Antony’s College

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Endorsement

‘The series of eight seminars held at St. Antony’s College, Oxford, last month, “Rethinking Gender in the 21st Century: Masculinities, Well-being and Health,” sets a standard for colleges and universities throughout the world.’

I first met Suen Yiu-Tung in Montréal this past spring at the annual meeting of the American Men’s Studies Association where he was among the presenters. Tung impressed me with his enthusiasm, especially about the series of seminars he was then planning for St. Antony’s. He brings life experiences to his orientation to men’s health that have the potential for bringing together pioneers in men’s studies with the younger generations of leaders in men’s studies and boys and men’s health.

Tung’s passion for older men’s health needs is especially relevant

giving the coming into older age of the post WW II “baby boom” generation in the Americas, the UK and in Europe. Tung is sensitive to the fact that men’s health begins with boys’ health. He understands how different men’s experience of their lives has become in only three family generations.

Just starting out in advocacy, Tung is already an effective organizer.

He knows how to make things work. The series of eight seminars held at St. Antony’s College, Oxford, last month, “Rethinking Gender in the 21st Century: Masculinities, Well-being and Health,” sets a standard for colleges and universities throughout the world. Boys’ and men’s health and well-being should be at the top of the list of priorities among governing boards, provosts, campus affairs deans and student health directors.

Miles Groth, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Wagner College, is Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Men’s Health; Editor, Thymos: Journal of Boyhood Studies.

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(2) Media Coverage The seminar series was featured by BBC Radio Oxford and a live interview was conducted with myself (Tung) at noon on 6th May, first day of the seminar series. (3) Speakers and Topics Eight leading Scholars in the field of men’s health from six different universities in the UK came to speak in the seminars, including world’s First Professor of Men's Health, Past President of British Society of Gerontology, Emeritus Professor of Sociological Research Methods and Editor-in-Chief, Social Science & Medicine (2004 – present).

The topics covered included masculinities and physical health and mental health. To acknowledge multiple masculinities (Connell 1995), diverse experiences of older men, younger men, gay men and ethnic minority men were highlighted. (For Full List of Speakers and Topics, please see Appendix)

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(4) Promotion Promotion was done extensively to raise awareness both within St. Antony’s College, Oxford and also outside of Oxford. E-mails were sent to junior members of St. Antony’s College with the help of College Registrar Margaret Couling, and a message was included in newsletter and newsflash was sent out every week with the help of JCR Secretary Christine Murphy, and a facebook group was set up with the help of JCR Social Secretary Nalini Biggs. Information was also listed on University Gazette, University of Oxford, St. Antony’s College, Department of Politics and Dailyinfo websites. E-mails were also sent to Departments of Sociology, Politics, Economics, Area Studies, Primary Health Care Social Work and Social Policy, Ageing, Anthropology, and Gender Studies, Queen Elizabeth House of University of Oxford. E-mails were also sent to departments that focus on health at Oxford Brookes University and University of Reading. Messages were also sent to British Sociological Association and Anthropology Matters, an online mailing list dedicated to issues related to Anthropology. (5) Attendance The Dahrendorf Room was packed every week, with 25-30 audience every week. Backgrounds of the audience were very diverse, including the followings as shown on the sign-in sheet:

• Accounting

• African Studies

• Ageing

• Demography

• Economics

• Engineering

• Gender and Social Policy

• Geography

• Health Care

• History

• Latin American Studies

• Migration Studies

• Pathology

• Politics

• Psychology

• Public Health and Primary Care

• Social Anthropology

• Social Work

• Sociology

• Time Use

Some members of the audience travelled from outside of Oxford, including:

• High Wycombe

• Reading

• London School of Economics

• London School of Hygiene and Medicine

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(6) Feedback on the Seminar Personal connection

• 'I really think it was wonderful, and many of the issues discussed really did resonate with me.'

Good Presentation Styles

• ‘Supportive environment, clear speech style’

• ‘Funny, informal, honest, practical’

• ‘Good questions and discussion’ Bringing About Practical Applications

• 'I think I can apply it into my practical work and probably research'

• ‘Improved my understanding, my care of clients, and understanding my research participants’

• ‘Helps with consideration of current work on targeting groups in public health campaigns’

• ‘It encourages me to read more on men’s health issues! Try to develop a research proposal in future too.’

Inspirations

• ‘Important issue, excellent series’

• 'I heard a lot of new things'

• 'Makes me think its a more important issue'

• 'Will think more about health issues'

• 'Interested to read further'

• ‘A good basis for further learning on the subjects presented.’ Expression of Desire for More Events

• ‘It is a topic that needs greater exposition.’

• ‘This is an important field of study that is under-researched.’

• ‘What a great seminar series – I look forward to part 2!’ Limitations of the Seminars

• ‘Ask people asking questions to state who they are’

• ‘Discussion – too bad it couldn’t be longer’

• ‘More time for discussion’

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Acknowledgements I would like to sincerely thank all the parties listed here for their support and love, without which the seminar series would not have been possible:

All Speakers of the Seminar Series � Prof. Alan White � Dr. Steve Robertson � Dr. Kate Davidson � Dr. Jonathan Scourfield � Prof. Tony Coxon

� Dr. Richard de Visser � Dr. Robert Williams � Dr. Alistair Hewison � Dr. Ellen Annandale

For their inspiring talks, and love, friendship and support All Attendees of the Seminar Series BBC Radio Oxford and Men’s Health Forum For featuring the seminar series and Mr. Tony Trueman, British Sociological Association, for liaison St. Antony’s College Conferences and Speakers Fund For granting the funding of the whole seminar series American Men’s Studies Association and Loren Frankel Scholarship Committee, especially Prof. Robert Heasley, Dr. Don Levy and Prof. Miles Groth For their encouragement for my work in the field of men’s studies All Members of St. Antony’s College, especially: Warden, Prof. Margaret Macmillan Bursar, Mr. Allan Taylor Domestic Bursar, Mr. Peter Robinson For supporting the idea of the seminar series Registrar, Ms. Margaret Couling Development Director, Ms. Emma Tracy Development Officer, Mr. Ranj Majumdar For helping with promotion of the seminar series Accommodation & Conference Co-ordinator, Ms. Karin Leighton For booking with venue and accommodation for the seminar series Steward, Mr. Tony Squirrell For setting up the room and dining table for the seminar series every week Head Porter, Mr. Trevor Butler For helping with parking issues IT Officer, Mr. Peter Micklem For helping with projector and computer issues All members of St. Antony’s College Junior Common Room Committee For their generous support for the seminar series All members of St. Antony’s College Junior Common Room Members Who have been supportive of the idea of the seminar series I also want to express my thanks to graduate supervisor Dr. George Leeson for his supervision of my study. My most sincere thanks also go to my friends in Oxford, who always trust and support my work as well as me as a person: Anne, Jowel, Robert, Chris, Roselyn, Daniel, Munira, Kimberly, Man-yee, Calum, Matt, Rory, Nalini, Chrissy, Wei, Yasushi, Joe, and many many others……

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Trinity Term 2009

‘Rethinking Gender in the 21st Century: Masculinities, Well-being and Health’ Seminars

Week2 - Week5, Wednesdays, 5pm

Dahrendorf Room, St. Antony’s College, Oxford

This ground-breaking seminar series, sponsored by the Conferences and Speakers Fund of St. Antony’s College, explores the impact of masculinities on well-being and health. The lectures will be given at 5pm on Wednesdays of week 2 to week 5 in the Dahrendorf Room, St Antony's College. Enquiries and registration requests may be directed to Yiu-tung Suen (e-mail: yiu.suen@sant.ox.ac.uk).

Week2 Trinity Term 09 - 6 May (Wednesday) 5pm Prof. Alan White World’s First Professor of Men's Health Director, Centre for Men's Health, Leeds Metropolitan University 6 May: What's All This Fuss about the Health of Men? Dr. Steve Robertson Reader in Men's Health, Centre for Men's Health, Leeds Metropolitan University 6 May: Lay Men, Health and Masculinities Week3 Trinity Term 09 - 13 May (Wednesday) 5pm Dr. Kate Davidson Co-director, Centre for Research on Ageing and Gender, University of Surrey Past President, British Society of Gerontology 13 May: ‘It Came by Itself, It'll Go by Itself’: Older Men's Attitude to Health and Illness Dr. Jonathan Scourfield Senior Lecturer, Cardiff School of Social Sciences 13 May: Gendered Suicide in the Context of Relationship Breakdown Week4 Trinity Term 09 - 20 May (Wednesday) 5pm Prof. Anthony Coxon Emeritus Professor of Sociological Research Methods, University of Wales Visiting Professor, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University Honorary Professorial Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh 20 May: ‘Something Sensational ...’: The Sexual Diary as a Tool for Mapping Gay Men's Detailed Sexual Behaviour Dr. Richard de Visser Lecturer in Psychology, University of Sussex 20 May: ‘That's Not Masculine’: Masculine Capital and Health-related Behaviour Week5 Trinity Term 09 - 27 May (Wednesday) 5pm Dr. Robert Williams and Dr. Alistair Hewison, School of Health and Population Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham 27 May: 'Being a Father...is the Embodiment of Everything I do': African Caribbean Fathers' Accounts of Fatherhood and Health Dr. Ellen Annandale, Reader in Sociology, University of Leicester Editor-in-Chief, Social Science & Medicine (2004 – present) 27 May: Men's Health and Women's Health: Pulling Together or Tearing Apart?