ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the ways in which transnational migration processes impact masculinity negotiations. Specifically, the analysis focuses on the experiences of Polish male migrants who work and live in Sweden and Germany, and who are examples of Eastern–Western mobility. The chapter explores the perceptions and negotiations of Eastern European men’s masculinities, as their positionality in gender hierarchies often changes as a result of their transnational mobility. Consequently, the chapter makes both empirical and theoretical contributions to the field. Drawing on the findings of two qualitative research projects, it provides an analysis of intertwined (male) privileges and marginalisation which characterised the daily experiences of the Polish migrant men. The research suggests that, while the privileges discussed are the result of the intersection between their citizenship status and race, their marginalisation is connected to how their whiteness is ‘broken’ and their social, cultural and economic capitals are perceived as lower than those of Western European men. This particular conflicted positionality activates the need for masculinities to be negotiated, which often results in performances defined by discourses of protective masculinity.
