ABSTRACT
This chapter is an in-depth auto-ethnographic classroom reflection on the experience of teaching on the topic of men and masculinities in later life as part of an MA course in educational sciences in Germany. Unlike gender and diversity, aging and later life are relatively neglected topics in the curriculum of educational sciences in Germany. In light of demographic change, increasing numbers of men in later life and role of lifelong learning in finding a meaningful activity in later life, it is important to raise awareness for aging, later life and masculinities among students in such courses. To achieve this the seminar took an interdisciplinary perspective, combining critical and cultural gerontology with gender and masculinities studies as well as an intersectional approach by bringing age and gender together. By applying a feminist perspective, reading and classroom discussions engaged with opportunities and challenges of aging masculinities; thinking about how to resist age and gender stereotypes; reflections on paradoxes and possibilities of aging men; and how aging and later life can provide an arena of change for new/non-hegemonic masculinities. The reflection includes insights into the teaching material and didactical methods used to involve students in critical classroom discussions.
