A Whangarei-based University of Auckland lecturer is off to England to present his research on what he believes is an issue increasingly in the spotlight.
Graeme Severinsen is presenting his research, titled Men or Beasts?: contested perspectives of violent contact sport that shape male identity in New Zealand, at the third International Conference on Sport and Society at Cambridge University next month.
The presentation looks into how the dominance of violent contact sport in the media shapes young men's perspectives on masculinity. Mr Severinsen said the reality was playing contact sport was hurting young males.
The research encompasses the results of a literature review from 2012 and a research study from 2011 involving Mike and Darryl Sabin.
Mr Severinsen will be one of thousands to speak at the conference. He said the issue of contact sport was big, especially in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia.