Research Involves

Studying representations of men’s sexual and reproductive health, especially men’s experiences of infertility.

Research Relevance

This research involves the study of infertility and masculinity, and will seek to understand men’s roles in the procreative realm. 

Masculinity Trouble

During the course of his Canada Research Chair, Dr. Allan is working broadly at the intersection of critical studies of men and masculinities and health research.  His current research, Men, Masculinity, and the Procreative Realm, seeks to study men’s experiences of infertility.  It is widely recognized that one in six couples face infertility, and in a third of cases, perhaps even more, male infertility is the cause for infertility.

Men’s infertility has become a growing concern especially in light of repeated news reports in local and international newspapers through to scientific studies in peer reviewed journals about the declining quality and quantity of sperm in the average ejaculate.  Dr. Allan’s research will study men’s experiences of the procreative realm by focusing on two interrelated and interconnected fields of analysis:  the threat of infertility and the experience of infertility.  He intends to study men’s experiences of fertility clinics, infertility diagnosis, as well as representations of men’s infertility.  His interdisciplinary research will bring together the biomedical sciences, sociology and anthropology, and cultural and gender studies. 

Additionally, Dr. Allan will consider men, masculinities, and mental health and wellness as part of ongoing collaborative research.

In his role as Canada Research Chair, Dr. Allan will explore and publish on a range of topics, including infertility, men’s reproductive and sexual health, men’s mental health and wellness, and critical studies of men and masculinities.