Emergent Masculinities in Africa: Case Studies from Sierra Leone

Hegemonic representations of African men tend to emphasize the destructive side of masculinities. The “masculinities in crisis” narrative, for instance, focuses on men’s inabilities to provide for their families. However, this discourse fails to properly attend to the complexities and dynamism of African masculinities. We argue that the theory of “emergent masculinities” provides a more productive lens for assessing the full spectrum of African masculinities in the twenty-first century. This concept captures the ways in which masculinities are shifting over generations, across the life course, and in relation to men’s lived experiences. Using case studies from Sierra Leone, we demonstrate the nuanced ways in which masculinities emerge and manifest in men’s lives. Specifically, we focus on the role of socioeconomic and political change that has accompanied crisis events, including the country’s civil war (1991–2002) and recent infectious disease outbreaks. Ultimately, we argue that although Sierra Leonean men have lived through crisis, they are not necessarily “in crisis” regarding their masculinities. Rather, men are demonstrating growing resistance to patriarchal norms and nurturing more caring and responsible masculinities.