By Dr. Mia Schöb and Dr. Henri Myrttinen
The link between men, masculinities, and small arms – in particular, guns – is a close, multi- facteted and intimate one. Individual civilian gun ownership is overwhelmingly in male hands, while militaries, police, security guards, guerrillas, gangs and other organizations that use small
arms are also male-dominated, especially in roles which require handling small arms. Guns are often linked to notions of “manliness,” as well as to activities which are seen as “manly” pursuits such as hunting, warfare, or even violent crime. These notions are embedded in expectations
of men to be providers, protectors of their communities, and at times violent agents of change. The close real and symbolic links between masculinities and small arms are reproduced in popular culture and are also reinforced by arms manufacturers, almost always owned and run by men. Their ads show guns in the hands of men in special police and military forces, of rugged individualists, or aristocratic-looking hunters—all masculinities for the gun purchaser to emulate
This brief focuses on civilian small arms owners and users, rather than on men and masculinities in the military, police, or other armed organizations. It also focuses mainly on small arms ownership and use, rather than the “full life cycle” of small arms. The latter would require examining masculinities in the context of small arms production, marketing, storage, management, transfer, and disposal, all of which are under-researched areas beyond the scope of this paper—but in urgent need of further attention.
This report was commissioned by Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, based at NYU’s Center for International Cooperation, and in partnership with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). The authors, GENSAC, and WILPF wish to thank everyone who participated in this study and so generously shared their time and insights with us. This project was made possible by the generous support of the German Federal Foreign Office.