Relocating mining masculinity

Early retirement and the everyday lives of mineworkers in Zonguldak

Bibliographic Data

ID24231990
AuthorsAtilla Barutçu (0000-0001-5966-6438, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University), Fatma Umut Beşpınar (0000-0002-5292-5713, Middle East Technical University)
Year2026
Pages1-17
Publication date2026-10-07
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueNORMA (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1890-2138 • E-ISSN: 1890-2146
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/18902138.2026.2744858
OpenAlexW7220897691
LanguageEN
References cited32

Drawing on Connell’s concept of hegemonic masculinity and the geography of masculinities, this article examines how early retirement in a high-risk, male-dominated sector reshapes mining-based masculine identities historically intertwined with local belonging in Zonguldak, Turkey, a city long shaped by its mining industry. Despite the declining economic importance of mining and the gradual reduction of the workforce through retirements and institutional downsizing, mining continues to be framed as a heroic and masculine occupation that informs both urban culture and personal identities. Based on ethnographic research, including interviews and observations, the study explores how retired mineworkers renegotiate their identities as they navigate increased leisure time alongside enduring gendered expectations. The findings show that early retirement reshapes daily temporal routines but does not weaken the symbolic authority of mining masculinity. Retired mineworkers continue to perform occupationally grounded identities across domestic, social, and urban spaces. Rooted in camaraderie, endurance, adventure, and a normative emphasis on activity and productivity, this masculinity extends beyond the workplace and becomes intertwined with local belonging. Hegemonic masculinity survives industrial decline not by remaining in the workplace, but by migrating into new social arenas of everyday life.

early retirement · Everyday life · gender and work · Miners · mining communities · Employment, Labor, and Gender Studies · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Mining and Resource Management

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Open DOI