Engineers, Passion and Good Projects: Investigating Masculinities in Irrigation Governance in Nepal

An engineer in Nepal

My research is about engineers, masculinities and power in irrigation governance in Nepal. The focus is on the masculine culture of water management organizations, such as irrigation agencies, water NGOs, consultancy firms and water research institutions. My work is based on the proposition that masculinities among engineers are not a natural effect of forces, but are nurtured as a strategic response to a given situation (Connell, 205). After an introduction of the topic, I present, by reflecting on career history interviews with an engineer in Nepal – what was said, how and to whom –  how masculinity correlate with professional performance, passion and an engineer’s vision on “good” projects. I argue that gender authenticity (Faulkner, 2009), as masculine performances, is key for the credibility of engineers. This means, among others, that advocating for different projects simultaneously means advocating for more open (masculine) engineering cultures, and more reflexive behaviour of engineers.

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For more information please contact Annet van Geen or Roy Huijsmans