Black Histories: Dialogues

Historical Perspectives of Black/African Masculinities

Masculinity has long been the focus of scholarly attention, yet Black/African masculinities remain comparatively underexplored. Their richness, complexity, and diversity are often overlooked within Masculinity Studies, where insufficient attention has been given to the cultural, historical, and political forces—such as modernity, violence, colonialism, patriarchy, nationalism, and globalization—that have shaped and reshaped them over time.

This special issue adopts a cross-disciplinary approach and seeks contributions that challenge prevailing assumptions while offering nuanced historical perspectives on Black/African masculinity in Africa and the diaspora i.e. in the Americas, Caribbean and in Europe.

We invite submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following:

• Precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial masculinities in Africa and the diaspora
• Masculinity, kinship, and family structures
• Religion, spirituality, and masculine roles
• Masculinity, violence, warfare and in relation to gang culture
• Labor, economy, and the gendering of work
• Nationalism, political authority, and the state
• Colonial encounters and the invention/reinvention of masculinities
• Migration, diaspora, and transnational masculinities
• Cultural representations of Black/African men in literature, art, film, and music
• Masculinity, sexuality, and intimacy
• Health, the body, and embodiment
• Generational shifts and intergenerational masculinities
• Memory, heritage, and commemoration of masculinities
• Trauma, counselling, mental health & Black/African men
• Masculinity and feminism

Volume 4, Issue 2 (Late 2026)