Manlighet och det nordliga rummet

Abstract

The object of this article is to discuss how images of science and northern space were also images of a type of masculinity which emerged in the decades around the turn of the century. The connection made between masculinity and the north comprises several aspects, including science, tourism, mountaineering and a society in the throes of change. The premise is that "masculinity" (like "femininity") is shaped by social and cultural processes. However masculinity is also constructed in relation to other men. These gender relationships imply a struggle for male hegemony. The hypothesis is that at the turn of the century, the development of a successful masculine type featuring a connection between masculinity and the north, literally or symbolically, can be observed.

The turn of the century also comprised a period of development within the natural sciences and their application to industry during the industrial breakthrough in Sweden. Mankind's struggle against nature was an important theme at that time. The explorer personified mankind's struggle to chart and subjugate nature. This struggle was particularly evident in two regions ⁠— the voyages of discovery to Africa and the expeditions into the northern Arctic. This meant that academic scientific ability need to be combined with practical skills, deliberation and stamina. In other words, here were demanded all the characteristics deemed fitting for the modern, middle-class (male) subject, a combination of rationality, enterprise and physical strength ⁠— particularly suited to adventures in the mountains and in the north.