Co-Sponsored by the Center for the Study of Religion and Culture and PAADS

Men, Masculinities, and Fatherhood: Sexuality, Race, and Religion in South Africa and the United States

Project Directors | Project Overview | Events

Project Directors

Tracy Sharpley-Whiting, Director, Program in African American & Diaspora Studies,and Professor of French and Italian

Gilman Whiting, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Program in African American & Diaspora Studies

Project Overview: Beliefs Matter

We believe that religion matters; that religious beliefs and institutions shape public and private understandings of sexuality, fatherhood, and race, three of the most contentious and important topics in our times.  Our shared understandings and expectations for male ways of being and behaving figure prominently in how we understand these topics.  In other words, masculinity also matters when considering our common understandings of sexuality, fatherhood, and race.  We also believe that to understand our American context we need to see ourselves and these pressing issues through the eyes of others. This fundamental need for reflection drives us to comparative studies.  Given the long, complex, and tragic story of Africa and America, our ideal partners in this dialogue are colleagues and institutions in Africa.  To carry out this essential conversation we propose a three year research project comprised of scholar-researchers at Vanderbilt University in consultation with scholar-researchers from the University of Cape Town, South Africa primarily, the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (South Africa) and faith-based and secular agencies in both countries that deal with gender issues.

Events

"Men, Masculinities, Fatherhood: Sexuality, Race, and Religion in South Africa and the United States" Seminar, July 12-17, 2006

Dr. Graham Lindegger, Professor of Psychology, and Dr. Robert Morrell, Professor of History, both of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, spoke on "HIV/AIDS, Masculinity, and Questioning Illusions" and "Aspirations of Fatherhood amongst Male Students in South African High Schools" on Thursday, July 13, 2006 from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm in Buttrick Hall, Room 204.

Dr. Graham Lindegger, Dr. Robert Morrell, and CSRC Directors and Fellows continued the discussion of the lectures on “HIV/AIDS, Masculinity and Questioning Illusions” and “Aspirations of Fatherhood amongst Male Students in South African High Schools” on Friday, July 14, 2006 from 9:30 - 11:30 am in Buttrick Hall, Room 123.

Reading and Discussion of Baba: Men and Fatherhood in South Africa on Monday, July 17, 2006 from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm in Buttrick Hall, Room 123.