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Drawing on fieldwork carried out among male motor mechanics in the Chinese diaspora of Penang, Malaysia, this informative volume explores the links between technology and the masculinization of power. Malaysia shares an obsession with modernity by way of technological development and a "can do" entrepreneurial spirit where technology is held in high esteem. Technology holds such positive connotations in Malaysian society that it is therefore a source of individual and national empowerment. Technology and modernity are therefore important factors when understanding contemporary Malaysian society. Just as there is very much a masculine ethos pervading Malaysia's spirit and belief in modernity and progress, this insightful and rewarding book focuses on technology and machines in relation to masculinity to provide an innovative, anthropological perspective of Malaysian society and the Chinese diaspora.
'Ulf Mellstrom situates his work at the intersection of two lively anthropological research areas, gender and technology, and makes a significant contribution to both. His style is lively, and his personal and ethnographic encounter with the field is vividly portrayed. All this makes Masculinity, Power and Technology very attractive reading.' Professor Ulf Hannerz, Stockholm University, Sweden 'Mellstrom has written an extraordinary book. He brings together insights from studies of masculinities, science and technology, and anthropology in order to illuminate the lives of Chinese mechanics in Penang. Mellstrom clearly has a great talent for 'hanging out with the guys' and is sensitive to the nuances of everyday life in the workshops of Penang. Moreover, he is able to convey his experiences and insights in a way that is thoroughly engaging for the reader. Reading this book is like reading a novel - and this is meant as a compliment given the turgidness of much contemporary academic prose. It is also a wonderful reflection on how to write about sensory experiences. For that, we have to thank Mellstrom's research participants/collaborators who were as curious about his working practices as he was about theirs.' Dr Sally Wyatt, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Ulf Mellstrom is Associate Professor within the Department of Technology and Social Change at Linkoping University and also within the Department of Behavioural Sciences at the University of Skovde, Sweden.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Chinese Malaysian mechanics
By Jeffery Mingo
A Swedish sociologist interviews and observes Malaysian male mechanics of Chinese descent and asks them how their jobs affect their sense of masculinity.
I guess there is a whole field called "gender and technology" in which tools and occupations are examined simultaneously with gender. That makes perfect sense, yet seems so novel. This was a unique slant on men's studies and I hope more books from this perspective are produced.
I give the author credit for his balancing act. He wants to problematize the false objectiveness of ethnography, so he discusses his role as observer. At the same time, he doesn't want to just have a diary and this book is theory-heavy and not overly subjective. Still, some readers may hate the personal info. Some readers may hate the postmodern jargon. The first chapter describes a day in the life of the mechanics. It differs drastically from the rest of the book and readers who want solid academics may be turned off if they don't venture farther. With the exception of this chapter, the other chapters follow a logical path and are uniform.
This book illustrates that the womanist assertion that race, class, and gender must be examined as interrelated, not separate, is being taken seriously. The author tries hard to keep bringing all three topics to the foreground. He does mention much on gender; for example, he describes how female mechanics are differentiated from male ones. He never says anything about the upper-class until the final few pages. Though he often repeats that Malaysia is very ethnically segregated and that the Chinese there are a minority, he says little about the interactions between the Chinese, Malays, and Indians. I never knew if the Chinese were oppressed or supposed to be "a model minority." I wish he spoke more of how working-class, Chinese men relate or stand against other demographic groups.
Along with the womanist assertion, almost every men's studies texts I've ever read mentions some dividing line between men. Instead of race, age, or sexuality, this author stresses that the men who received English educations have different outlooks than those who received Chinese ones. Fascinating! I learned much about Malaysia that I didn't know before.
To be honest, the author presents a totally different image of Chinese men than most Americans, and possibly most Westerners would have. As opposed to be stoic and emotionless, the author stresses that these men believe in luck, astrology, and other non-concrete phenomena. Instead of portraying an obedient, self-erasing stereotype, he talks about Chinese men gambling, drag-racing, drinking and many type of classical macho behavior.
As much as the author stresses how his commonalities with the men helped him to solicit information, I wonder if he would have written a more in-depth book if he were a mechanic or had a mechanical background himself. Further, this book talked about the interviewees being small businessmen (purposely gendered) than it does being mechanics. The pressures of making money and staying open takes as much space here as does fixing cars.
Despite my critiques, I sincerely enjoyed this book. I applaud the author for having a novel idea. I am sure he will keep producing successful, informative writings.
Posted in: A,and,Ethnography,Malaysian,Masculinity,Power,Technology
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