Men's Rights Activists and the Ray Rice Domestic-Violence Case: Using Critical Communication Pedagogy to Counter Hegemonic Masculinity

Abstract

Some groups in society communicate in ways that attempt to marginalize others. One such group is the Men’s Rights Activists (MRAs) who use language to attempt to normalize the subjugation of women through its rejection of feminism. This activity is designed to engage students in dialogue about MRAs response to the domestic violence incident involving Baltimore Ravens’ running back Ray Rice and his fiancé, Janay Palmer in a hotel elevator. Specifically, the activity allows students to learn about MRAs and their hegemonic ideology, examine/view the domestic violence incident, and use critical communication pedagogy (CCP) as a means to examine a MRAs blog devoted to the incident. Overall, the activity allows instructors and students to engage in meaningful dialogue about MRAs through the lens of CCP to respond to instances of hegemony in their own lives.

Keywords: Men's Rights Activists, hegemonic masculinity, domestic violence, critical communication pedagogy