Exploring Ecological Masculinities Praxes : A Qualitative Study of Global Northern Men Who Have Participated in Pro-Feminist and Pro-Environmental Reflective Groups

Abstract: Ecofeminism has long demonstrated how patriarchal structures and masculine norms constitute major obstacles for a transition to an ecologically and socially just society. In recent years, this has been illustrated by the hegemonic masculine performances of world leaders such as Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro. There is a vital need to engage men in changing these structures and norms in favour of environmental and social care. Therefore, pro-feminist and pro-environmental reflective groups for men have been initiated in Sweden. This study explores how men who have participated in these groups narrate the global ecological crisis and their role in it. The political power of these personal narratives must be understood as part of a discursive struggle in the international arena. The narratives construct these men in a way that positions social and environmental justice as normative. This, in turn, challenges the prevailing norms and enables different international environmental politics.