Introduction

This chapter introduces the topic of the book, language and masculinities, and provides definitions of some of the key terms used in it, including gender, sex, masculinity, language and discourse. The chapter describes the emergence of the field of Language and Masculinities and outlines the authors’ motivations for writing this book, considering why the topic is more relevant now than ever before. The chapter also addresses what is hoped that readers will gain from the book. Finally, the chapter provides a short overview of the book’s structure and discusses the different linguistic contexts that are covered.