---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: that? Masculinity is and was a broad…"
description: "\"“that? Masculinity is and was a broad category that encompassed many forms of behaviour; the manliness of these particular men was inflected by identit..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/christopher-munro-clark-58930_habits_that-masculinity-is-and-was-a-broad-cate_1630018.jpg"
---

#  that? Masculinity is and was a broad category that…

![“that? Masculinity is and was a broad category that encompassed many forms of behaviour; the manliness of these particular men was inflected by identities of class, ethnicity and profession. Yet it is striking how often the key protagonists appealed to pointedly masculine modes of comportment and…” quote by Christopher Munro Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/christopher-munro-clark-58930_habits_that-masculinity-is-and-was-a-broad-cate_1630018.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/christopher-munro-clark-58930_habits_that-masculinity-is-and-was-a-broad-cate_1630018.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/christopher-munro-clark-58930_habits_that-masculinity-is-and-was-a-broad-cate_1630018.jpg)

> ““that? Masculinity is and was a broad category that encompassed many forms of behaviour; the manliness of these particular men was inflected by identities of class, ethnicity and profession. Yet it is striking how often the key protagonists appealed to pointedly masculine modes of comportment and how closely these were interwoven with their understanding of policy. ‘I sincerely trust we shall keep our backs very stiff in this matter,’ Arthur Nicolson wrote to his friend Charles Hardinge, recommending that London reject any appeals for rapprochement from Berlin.156 It was essential, the German ambassador in Paris, Wilhelm von Schoen wrote in March 1912, that the Berlin government maintain a posture of ‘completely cool calmness’ in its relations with France and approach ‘with cold blood’ the tasks of national defence imposed by the international situation.157 When Bertie spoke of the danger that the Germans would ‘push us into the water and steal our clothes’, he metaphorized the international system as a rural playground thronging with male adolescents. Sazonov praised the ‘uprightness’ of Poincaré’s character and ‘the unshakable firmness of his will’;158 Paul Cambon saw in him the ‘stiffness’ of the professional jurist, while the allure of the reserved and self-reliant ‘outdoorsman’ was central to Grey’s identity as a public man. To have shrunk from supporting Austria-Hungary during the crisis of 1914, Bethmann commented in his memoirs, would have been an act of ‘self-castration’.””

[Christopher Munro Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-munro-clark/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Masculine ideals shaped diplomatic language, linking personal identity to national policy and aggression.

**In simple terms:** Masculine ideals influenced diplomatic behavior.

Key Takeaway

Recognize gendered language in politics.

Themes

masculinity diplomacy identity power politics

Mood

critical analytical

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- international negotiations
- policy drafting
- leadership training

Key Concepts

gender studies historical analysis political theory

Questions to Reflect On

- How does gendered language affect policy outcomes?
- Can diplomacy be reframed without masculine tropes?

A Different Perspective

May overlook contributions of women and non‑binary actors.

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[Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Manliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manliness/) [Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculinity/)

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