Cocacola-Cowboys och pojksoldater : Om maskulinitetens pedagogik i anstalt

Aiming at a deeper understanding of social structure in male dominated spaces this essay regards Swedish correctional facilities as pedagogical institutions where participants engage in learning activities. Through the lens of the situated pedagogy of Jean Lave & Etienne Wenger the institutions are seen as constituted of two primary communities of practice, one engaging the correctional officers and one engaging the inmates. Using the concept of legitimate peripheral participation for analysis the potential for rehabilitation and learning in the correctional facilities is considered from both these sides. With this pedagogical view of correctional facilities as a foundation the main goal of the essay is to consider the role of masculinity in the social structures of prison. Raewyn Connell’s concept of hegemonic masculinity and specifically protest masculinity is used as a theoretical base for the gender aspect of the essay. Three interviews with correctional officers and one with a former inmate are analyzed using the aforementioned theories. The results show that the community of practice for correctional officers, though relatively equal in it’s gender distribution, is one thoroughly characterized by gender disparities where masculinity plays a great part in the power struggles of the work place. In the study of the inmates the results show a community of practices based mainly outside of prison, reaching within it’s walls. A class based protest masculinity is a big part of the social positioning within this structure. The character of masculinity realized in the two pedagogical structures are easily compared and differ mainly in correctional officers adherence to societal norms and boundaries, and the dissregard of these norms by inmates. The results call for an increased awareness of pedagogical structures, within the Swedish department of corrections as well as within the criminal community. A focus on how masculinity plays a part of these structures is suggested as a possible path towards better rehabilitating care