Caring Masculinities: Rethinking the Concept

The aim of this article is to critically evaluate the concept of caring masculinity/ies, a concept that has gained traction in critical studies on men and masculinities (CSMM) since the publication of Karla Elliott’s 2016 article. Utilizing a rapid literature review, this study analyses 54 peer-reviewed papers published in English-language journals since 2016. The paper begins with an overview of the early development of caring masculinities, tracing its theoretical roots and initial applications. It subsequently categorizes the dominant ways in which the concept has been applied, focusing on typologies, caring practices, and processes of change, as well as on criticism of the concept. The paper then discusses key critical junctions and limitations, particularly on the conflation of attitudes with practice. It finally calls for a more coherent focus on caring practices that emphasizes the importance of intersectionality, the initial feminist promise of the concept and greater attention to the structural barriers that may enable, shape or restrict men’s caring.