Performing Masculinities

Izikhothane—township youth from impoverished backgrounds who engage in mock battles of conspicuous consumption where luxury items are often destroyed—gained notoriety in South Africa in the early 2000s. Sifiso Mnisi delves into the life of the izikhothane, providing an in-depth account of what it means to be a young man within the ukukhothana (Zulu slang for “boasting”) subculture and showing how their seemingly destructive behavior can be a complex way of asserting their masculinity and demanding recognition in a society that has historically dehumanized them.