Masculinity and Violence in Congo

I discovered a really interesting photo gallery and interview from Pete Muller that looks at masculinity and violence in Congo. Pete Muller decided to explore male gender identity and violence in eastern Congo by pursuing questions rarely asked of men and photograph the images of masculinity that are portrayed by various men throughout the country. Muller found that men spoke a lot of how poverty and displacement undermine the patriarchal social contract thus making violence a huge outlet to display masculinity. According to Muller, "Congo presents but one illustration of the relationship between embattled masculinity and violence that I believe exists in various forms throughout the world. In order to reduce violence, it is essential to critically explore the context from which male aggression emerges." I thought this article was particularly interesting because it displays how in environments such as the one in Congo, violence can become one of the main ways men express masculinity and how this violence affects this environment. I really suggest that you read the whole interview with Muller and look at all the wonderful images that he provides of the images of masculinity in Congo.
https://www.lensculture.com/articles/pete-muller-a-tale-of-two-wolves-men-masculinity-and-violence#slideshow