Taking its cue from the greater visibility of men's studies in the last decade, this comprehensive volume focuses on the various ways that mass media do not so much "reflect" masculinity in society as "teach" it by creating or reinforcing its own idealized images. Encompassing a wide-spectrum of research particularly from the last twenty years, this book shows the range of masculine identities. While these publications normally deal with one specific medium, the present study considers four distinct mediums of mass media: movies, television, advertising, and sports coverage.

Kenneth MacKinnon is Emeritus Professor of Film Studies at London Metropolitan University.