Navigating Patriarchy: A Critical Integrative Review of Theoretical Frameworks for Understanding South Asian Masculinities

Abstract

This is a critical integrative review of theories on masculinity in Western discourses as applied to South Asian societies, which is a significant gap in gender scholarship. A purposive search was conducted in five social science databases, and a critical review of theoretical, empirical, and ethnographic research on Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh was carried out from 1987 to 2024. The following three research questions were used for the review: (1) How do hegemonic masculinity theory, Gender Role Strain Paradigm, and hybrid masculinities theory explain the construction of masculine identities in South Asia? (2) What are the local and indigenous concepts and characteristics that need to be theorized? (3) What kind of a framework can better capture the complexity of South Asian masculinities? The findings show that Western perspectives provide analytical frameworks but fail to consider issues of honor systems like izzat and ghairat, caste and gender, the legacy of colonialism on masculinity, and religious norms in shaping masculine ideals. Thus, we suggest an integrated model with structural, psychological, and cultural aspects with special focus on south Asian contexts. This approach can reinforce the concept of masculinity scholarship and culturally responsive interventions to prevent gender-based violence and to promote the engagement of men in gender equality initiatives in contexts.