My name is Shavar Bernier, and the title of my thesis is Boys in a box: mixed methods study examining boys\u27 masculinity in a private boarding school. I wrote the paper with guidance from my advisors and readers at Dartmouth, Mary Turco, Andrew Garrod, and Douglas Moody.
This mixed-methods study examined masculinity and how it was displayed at a private boarding school in Watertown, Connecticut. The purpose of the study was to use the experiences of students and teaching faculty to understand how masculinity was evident on Taft’s campus. The study participants consisted of 15 former students and forty-five teaching faculty, both past and present. Two primary research tools were used in this study. The first was a 21-question, semi-structured audio interview with the student volunteers. The second was a seven-question electronic survey completed by 45 faculty members.
The student interviews focused on each student’s unique experience at Taft. The primary purpose of the interview was to have male-identifying students discuss masculinity at Taft and how they believe masculinity is displayed on campus. During the interview, each student reflected on societal pressures and norms that could impact their behavior at Taft. The faculty survey focused on the classroom experience for all students but explicitly gathered insights about the education of male-identifying students concerning masculinity(ies).
The student interview findings showed that there exists a toxic form of masculinity on campus and that it is ingrained in mainstream culture. Furthermore, the
students are interested in learning more about masculinity as they believe education would encourage a healthy and positive expression of masculinity within school culture.
From the faculty perspective, the findings show that many teachers have experienced and witnessed displays of toxic masculinity in the classroom, the dorms, and other areas of campus. While this faculty sentiment was not unanimous, most agreed that negative expressions of masculinity cause harm to the larger community. Faculty do not formally educate students on masculinity through curriculum or workshops, despite many believing it would benefit the entire community
