Brandon University welcomes American Men’s Studies Association for 2019 Conference

Scholars and researchers from around the world are at Brandon University this week to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing men and the latest research about masculinity as BU hosts the 2019 American Men’s Studies Association (AMSA) annual conference.

This is the 27th annual conference, which has previously has been held in cities ranging from Atlanta to New York City, and which this year is drawing more than 50 top researchers from at least a dozen countries.

“Hosting this conference is quite a coup for BU, and we are thrilled that so many people are coming to the prairies, and specifically to Brandon, from as far afield as South Africa and New Zealand,” said Dr. Jonathan Allan, a BU professor, Canada Research Chair, and board member of AMSA who is co-chair of this week’s conference. “When we bring together the best research from BU and from around the world, we always spark new ways of looking at men’s studies and masculinity.”

The theme of this year’s conference deals with masculinity and decoloniality, and organizers have worked to weave the theme into the design of the conference itself.

“Local Indigenous elements will be central during this conference, including a pipe ceremony, a fire circle, and tipi building, and Indigenous research from around the world will provide key perspectives on several of our panels,” said BU professor Dr. Serena Petrella, who is the second co-chair of the conference. “Indigenous and decolonial approaches hold a lot of value for all of us when we talk about the changing nature of what it means to be a man.”

A wide variety of research on men and masculinity will also be presented and discussed through workshops, panels and keynotes, with topics touching on everything from circumcision to caregiving, from fatherhood to feminism, and from hipsters to Grindr.

“I am particularly honoured to welcome our keynotes, Dr. Kim Anderson and Rob Baldwin,” said AMSA President Dr. Cliff Leek. “Kim Anderson is Associate Professor in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph. Rob Baldwin is a registered clinical social worker and counsellor with over twenty years of counseling experience and a longstanding practice and interest in men’s mental health and holistic wellness. I look forward to learning from their expertise.”

The 2019 AMSA Conference at Brandon University takes place June 12–14, 2019. More information is available at mensstudies.org.

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