Raewyn Connell
Encyclopedia
Raewyn Connell (née Robert William "Bob" Connell, widely known as R.W. Connell) is an Australian sociologist. She is currently University Professor at the University of Sydney
.
and University of Sydney
, she has held jobs at universities in Australia and the United States (Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard University
). She was an activist in the New Left
of the 1960s, and when appointed Professor at Macquarie University
was one of the youngest people ever appointed to an academic chair in Australia.
Connell became known for research on large-scale class dynamics ("Ruling Class, Ruling Culture", 1977 and "Class Structure in Australian History", 1980), and the ways class and gender hierarchies are re-made in the everyday life of schools ("Making the Difference", 1982).
She developed a social theory of gender relations ("Gender and Power", 1987), which emphasised that gender is a large-scale social structure not just a matter of personal identity. In applied fields she has worked on poverty and education ("Schools and Social Justice", 1993), sexuality and AIDS
prevention, and labour movement strategy ("Socialism & Labor", 1978).
Connell is best known outside Australia for studies of the social construction of masculinity
. She was one of the founders of this research field, and her book "Masculinities" (1995, 2005) is the most-cited in the field. The concept of "hegemonic masculinity
" has been particularly influential and has attracted much debate. She has been an advisor to UNESCO and UNO initiatives relating men, boys and masculinities to gender equality and peacemaking.
Recently Connell has developed a sociology of intellectuals in the context of neoliberal globalization. Her latest book "Southern Theory" (2007) critiques the northern bias of mainstream social science, and surveys social theories that arise in the global periphery. Her current work concerns neoliberalism.
Connell's style of sociology tries to combine empirical research, structural theory, social critique, and relevance to practice. Much of her research uses biographical (life-history) interviewing. She has written or co-written twenty-one books and more than 150 research papers; her work is translated into 15 languages.
Raewyn Connell is a transgender woman
, and changed her name from Robert William Connell. She remains widely known under the initials R.W. During her career, her works have appeared under several different name forms including Bob Connell, Robert Connell, Robert W. Connell, Robert William Connell, R.W. Connell, R. Connell and Raewyn Connell. Her famous book Masculinities appeared in a new edition in 2005 under the name R.W. Connell, but since 2007, her books have appeared under the name Raewyn Connell.
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
.
Profile
Educated at Manly and North Sydney High Schools, taking degrees at University of MelbourneUniversity of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, she has held jobs at universities in Australia and the United States (Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
). She was an activist in the New Left
New Left
The New Left was a term used mainly in the United Kingdom and United States in reference to activists, educators, agitators and others in the 1960s and 1970s who sought to implement a broad range of reforms, in contrast to earlier leftist or Marxist movements that had taken a more vanguardist...
of the 1960s, and when appointed Professor at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
was one of the youngest people ever appointed to an academic chair in Australia.
Connell became known for research on large-scale class dynamics ("Ruling Class, Ruling Culture", 1977 and "Class Structure in Australian History", 1980), and the ways class and gender hierarchies are re-made in the everyday life of schools ("Making the Difference", 1982).
She developed a social theory of gender relations ("Gender and Power", 1987), which emphasised that gender is a large-scale social structure not just a matter of personal identity. In applied fields she has worked on poverty and education ("Schools and Social Justice", 1993), sexuality and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
prevention, and labour movement strategy ("Socialism & Labor", 1978).
Connell is best known outside Australia for studies of the social construction of masculinity
Masculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
. She was one of the founders of this research field, and her book "Masculinities" (1995, 2005) is the most-cited in the field. The concept of "hegemonic masculinity
Hegemonic masculinity
In gender studies, hegemonic masculinity refers to the belief in the existence of a culturally normative ideal of male behavior. Hegemonic masculinity posits that society strongly encourages men to embody this kind of masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity is said to be marked by a tendency for the...
" has been particularly influential and has attracted much debate. She has been an advisor to UNESCO and UNO initiatives relating men, boys and masculinities to gender equality and peacemaking.
Recently Connell has developed a sociology of intellectuals in the context of neoliberal globalization. Her latest book "Southern Theory" (2007) critiques the northern bias of mainstream social science, and surveys social theories that arise in the global periphery. Her current work concerns neoliberalism.
Connell's style of sociology tries to combine empirical research, structural theory, social critique, and relevance to practice. Much of her research uses biographical (life-history) interviewing. She has written or co-written twenty-one books and more than 150 research papers; her work is translated into 15 languages.
Raewyn Connell is a transgender woman
Trans woman
A trans woman is a male-to-female transsexual or transgender person and the term trans woman is preferred by some individuals over various medical terms. Other non-medical terms include t-girl, tg-girl and ts-girl...
, and changed her name from Robert William Connell. She remains widely known under the initials R.W. During her career, her works have appeared under several different name forms including Bob Connell, Robert Connell, Robert W. Connell, Robert William Connell, R.W. Connell, R. Connell and Raewyn Connell. Her famous book Masculinities appeared in a new edition in 2005 under the name R.W. Connell, but since 2007, her books have appeared under the name Raewyn Connell.
Selected bibliography
| Year | Title | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| |
Ruling Class, Ruling Culture: Studies of Conflict, Power and Hegemony in Australian Life | Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world... |
| |
Class Structure in Australian History | Longman Cheshire |
| |
Making the Difference: Schools, Families and Social Division | Allen & Unwin Allen & Unwin Allen & Unwin, formerly a major British publishing house, is now an independent book publisher and distributor based in Australia. The Australian directors have been the sole owners of the Allen & Unwin name since effecting a management buy out at the time the UK parent company, Unwin Hyman, was... |
| |
Gender and Power: Society, the Person and Sexual Politics | Allen & Unwin |
| |
Masculinities | Allen & Unwin |
| |
Male Roles, Masculinities and Violence: A Culture of Peace Perspective | UNESCO UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations... Publishing |
| |
Southern theory : the global dynamics of knowledge in social science | Polity Polity (publisher) Polity is an international publisher in the social sciences and humanities. It publishes around 100 books a year in sociology, politics, philosophy, media and cultural studies, health studies, literary studies, history, anthropology and related subjects. Its books range from core textbooks for... |
| |
Gender : in world perspective | Polity Polity (publisher) Polity is an international publisher in the social sciences and humanities. It publishes around 100 books a year in sociology, politics, philosophy, media and cultural studies, health studies, literary studies, history, anthropology and related subjects. Its books range from core textbooks for... |