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The non‐fiction reading habits of young successful boy readers: forming connections between masculinity and reading
Author(s) -
Smith Susannah
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
literacy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1741-4369
pISSN - 1741-4350
DOI - 10.1111/j.0034-0472.2004.03801003.x
Subject(s) - masculinity , reading (process) , hegemonic masculinity , psychology , identity (music) , football , gender studies , developmental psychology , sociology , art , linguistics , history , aesthetics , psychoanalysis , philosophy , archaeology
The reading experiences of six young successful boy readers were studied over a two‐year period. In this article, their non‐fiction reading is analysed and ways in which the boys make positive connections between masculinity and reading are identified. The boys' non‐fiction reading centres on typical boy interest areas and hobbies (for example, football, space, dinosaurs) and, through their reading, they have become experts on these areas. This has earned them respect from their peers, particularly other boys, and a high status, hegemonic masculine identity in the classroom. Thus, for this group of boys, unlike many other boys, masculinity and reading are compatible; in this particular version of masculinity, reading is a desirable pursuit.