Internalizing the Present in the Articulation of the Future
Masculinity, Inequality, and Trying On New Possible Selves
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Abstract
Young men, especially from working-class backgrounds, often lack the space, capacity, or opportunity to reflect upon masculinities and their role in shaping future trajectories. By devising mechanisms to engage young men differently in creative activities, participants in our project were supported to think beyond assumed futures and explore new possibilities. Mobilizing the theory of possible selves, this article draws on data across three creative university outreach workshops in England with 18 participants who were given the opportunity to explore masculinities using creative writing, photography, and dance/movement. Combining artifact analysis and semi-structured interviews, the article argues that these workshops created safe spaces for young men to articulate their concerns and fears about harm and risk in everyday life while facilitating an exploration of alternative possible selves.
Contributor Notes
Alex Blower is Access and Participation Manager at Arts University Bournemouth, UK. Having worked in various widening participation roles at universities for the last 11 years, in 2020 he completed a doctorate at the University of Wolverhampton. As a Practitioner and Researcher, he also advocates for strengths-based approaches to work with young men who may experience marginalization in higher education. Email: ablower@aub.ac.uk
Jon Rainford is a Staff Tutor / Lecturer in Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport at The Open University, UK. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow in Education at The University of Bath, UK. He has over 12 years’ experience working with marginalized groups in education, and completed a doctorate at Staffordshire University in 2019 that focused on widening participation policy and practice. As a Researcher and Evaluator, he has interests in the value of creative and digital methods. He has recently coedited The Business of Widening Participation: Policy Practice and Culture with Colin McCaig and Ruth Squire. Email: jon.rainford@open.ac.uk