Presenter: Alexandria Sasek
Mentor: Megan Burke
Oral Presentation
Major: Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
America has a hero complex. In light of current international affairs and America’s traditional role as global policeman being examined, the consequences of America’s presence abroad have highlighted the divide between what Americans see ourselves as and what other nations see Americans as. To be considered a hero, there must be a villain to vanquish and a victim to save. A large aspect of American masculinity is being a protector, and ‘protection’ reveals itself in layers. It differentiates the “good” from the “bad”: within communities, institutions, and in the subversive rape culture cultivated by the media and patriarchal traditions. The victim and villain characters are cast in the national rape culture, with the villains remaining faceless, nameless monsters and the victims frequently denied autonomy after the assault. In America, we have taught females to adhere to a strict checklist of actions and dress codes in order to not be raped, or in other words, women must obey these rules in order to be protected from the rapists. This dependence on contracted protection can be seen nationally and globally, which Iris Marion Young deconstructs in “The Logic of Masculinist Protection: Reflections on the Current Security State.” This dependence not only defines hierarchical societal relations, but gives reasoning behind war through masculine sovereignty as Bonnie Mann explains in “How America Justifies Its War.” In understanding this perceptional divide, we understand the far- reaching effects of American masculinity and the subtle social contracts we subscribe to.