Smiler, Andrew P., Kay, Gwen, Harris, Benjamin.  “Tightening and Loosening Masculinity’s (k)Nots: Masculinity in the Hearst Press during the Interwar Period.”  The Journal of Men’s Studies, vol. 16, no. 3, Fall 2008, pp. 266 - 279.  http://www.mensstudies.com/

This study pertains to obtaining an understanding of the ever-changing view of male masculinity; a point is made in the opening that masculinity as a whole has been viewed, particularly with its changes, over the centuries rather than a much more focused approach on how it has changed over decades.  The decades in particular that were chosen for study were dubbed as the Interwar Period, ranging from 1918 - 1940.  The authors and those studying this topic also made a point that general studies conducted on the topic were focused upon depictions of masculinity in the middle and upper classes of society rather than society as a whole - to understand these shifts and how masculinity as a whole has developed certain content from mass market newspapers as well as  psychological experts with understandings of the current landscape of said masculinity have all been utilized as a means to understanding these societal shifts.  To further the point of the essay’s purpose, a concise definition of what masculinity was made out to be in the early 20th Century is provided.  Various views such as that of men being seen as self-made are placed under a microscope and viewed through a critical lens; this approach is adopted for the entirety in surmising a cemented understanding in the changes.