Imagined Violence Representations of Masculinity and a Culture of Peace

This paper considers representations of hyper-masculinity taken from Hollywood blockbuster films – particularly those that glorify violence, such as the action thriller genre – and the ways in which they navigate struggle, power and domination, relating it to the discursive construction of masculine identities. This serves as a compelling point of departure for exploring how gender-related imaginings of violence hinder socialization processes that move towards a culture of peace. A culture of peace can be defined as the attitudes, values and modes of behaviour that are based on non-violence and a respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all people.