Reflective masculinities
Black boys contesting hegemony in peri-urban South Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8239462 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ndumiso Daluxolo Ngidi (0000-0002-5287-8531, Durban University of Technology, corresponding author), Sinakekelwe Khanyisile Khumalo-Nkwanyana (Africa Health Research Institute), Zaynab Essack (0000-0002-8867-3415, Human Sciences Research Council), Xolani Ntinga (0000-0001-6002-6921, Human Sciences Research Council) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 1-20 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | NORMA (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1890-2138 • E-ISSN: 1890-2146 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/18902138.2026.2621560 |
| OpenAlex | W7126240518 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 45 |
This article introduces the concept of reflective masculinities to explore how Black adolescent boys in a peri-urban South African community make meaning of masculinity in ways that defy dominant, deficit-based representations. Drawing on a critical African masculinities framework and participatory visual methodologies, the study engaged 15 teenage boys through photo-elicitation and focus group discussions to examine how they navigate gender in relation to aesthetics, spirituality, friendship, and future aspirations. Rather than framing masculinity as inherently hegemonic or violent, the paper foregrounds the everyday, agentive strategies boys use to rework gendered expectations within contexts shaped by racialised inequality, poverty, and post-apartheid transitions. The findings reveal complex, often contradictory performances of care, ethical self-fashioning, and relational identity, which challenge monolithic constructions of Black boyhood. By centreing boys as co-constructors of knowledge, the article contributes to gender-transformative youth scholarship in the Global South and calls for more nuanced, youth-led approaches to studying masculinities.
Hegemonic masculinity · Hegemony · Masculinity · Narrative · Power (physics · African Sexualities and LGBTQ+ Issues · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · South African History and Culture
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |