Theorising Masculinities and Crime: A Genetic-Social Approach

Abstract

This paper examines competing notions of ‘masculinities’ in relation to crime, and the global nature of gendered inequalities. It is the contention here that social constructionist theories of male sexualities contain certain theoretical deficits. It is suggested that a post-Postmodern analysis of ‘masculinities’ might incorporate some of the insights from Owen’s Genetic-Social meta-theoretical framework. Owen’s ‘sensitising’ framework has been ‘applied’ to the sociological study of human biotechnology, ageing, ‘trust’ and professional power and crime in recent times. Owen’s notion of the biological variable, in particular, might be incorporated into an analysis of ‘masculinities’ in relation to violence and crime. Additionally, it is recommended that these notions are combined with Layder’s concept of Psychobiography in order to theorise ‘masculinities’ and crime in the post-Genome age.