Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Sociology of Health and Illness |
| Early online date | 20 Feb 2019 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 20 Feb 2019 |
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Keywords
- Disadvantaged men
- Emotions
- health
- Mental Health
- Reflexivity
Cite this
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Reflexivity Denied? The Emotional and Health-Seeking Resources of Men Facing Disadvantage. / Simpson, Paul; Richards, Michael.
In: Sociology of Health and Illness, 20.02.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Reflexivity Denied? The Emotional and Health-Seeking Resources of Men Facing Disadvantage.
AU - Simpson, Paul
AU - Richards, Michael
PY - 2019/2/20
Y1 - 2019/2/20
N2 - Based on focus group discussions of self-generated photographs of individuals aged 19-67 resident in urban Northwest England, this article examines the health narratives of men facing disadvantage because of economic hardship and/or mental health difficulty (mhd). In contrast to stereotypes of men as uncomfortable with emotions linked to vulnerability, we explore how such men can develop within self-help groups the kind of emotional resources that encourage health-seeking behaviours. Our argument contrasts with theories that risk denying/diminishing working-class men’s emotional reflexivity or that frame reflexivity (thought on feelings and behaviour to effect life changes) as individualized and more available to middle-class (younger) men. We argue that participant accounts indicate development of more collective emotional and epistemic resources from a position of subordinated masculinity. This argument challenges stereotypes of working-class men as lacking in knowledge/skill in health and self-care. Collective reflexivity over health/well-being was particularly visible in three main accounts that emerged during focus groups: involvement in self-help ‘communities of practice’; use of local aesthetic spaces; and negotiation with/qualified challenge to healthy eating discourse.
AB - Based on focus group discussions of self-generated photographs of individuals aged 19-67 resident in urban Northwest England, this article examines the health narratives of men facing disadvantage because of economic hardship and/or mental health difficulty (mhd). In contrast to stereotypes of men as uncomfortable with emotions linked to vulnerability, we explore how such men can develop within self-help groups the kind of emotional resources that encourage health-seeking behaviours. Our argument contrasts with theories that risk denying/diminishing working-class men’s emotional reflexivity or that frame reflexivity (thought on feelings and behaviour to effect life changes) as individualized and more available to middle-class (younger) men. We argue that participant accounts indicate development of more collective emotional and epistemic resources from a position of subordinated masculinity. This argument challenges stereotypes of working-class men as lacking in knowledge/skill in health and self-care. Collective reflexivity over health/well-being was particularly visible in three main accounts that emerged during focus groups: involvement in self-help ‘communities of practice’; use of local aesthetic spaces; and negotiation with/qualified challenge to healthy eating discourse.
KW - Disadvantaged men
KW - Emotions
KW - health
KW - Mental Health
KW - Reflexivity
U2 - 10.1111/1467-9566.12869
DO - 10.1111/1467-9566.12869
M3 - Article
JO - Sociology of Health and Illness
JF - Sociology of Health and Illness
SN - 0141-9889
ER -