Abstract
This article examines shifts in representations of masculinity in the figure of the astronaut by analyzing the Apple TV+ series For All Mankind (2019–present). Representations of astronauts have been an important cornerstone of US science fiction television. In recent years, the traditional twentieth-century image of the astronaut has been destabilized by broader cultural developments, both in fiction and real life. For All Mankind exemplifies this shift in the image of the gendered figure of the astronaut. The alternative history science fiction series sheds light on the relationship between white masculinity and the cultural production of outer space travel. In For All Mankind, the astronaut becomes a negotiating ground for the rearticulation of masculinity while enabling a revisionist, imagined US history.
Journal of the Austrian Association for American Studies Vol. 7, No. 2, Fall 2026
The Journal of the Austrian Association for American Studies (JAAAS) is a peer-reviewed gold open-access journal which provides an interdisciplinary space for discussions about all aspects of American studies. The journal functions as a forum for Americanists in Austria and the global academic community. Published twice a year, the journal welcomes submissions on a wide range of topics, aiming to broaden the multi- and interdisciplinary study of American cultures.
Interrogating the notion of “America” and looking at the U.S. within its transnational and (trans-)hemispheric interconnections, JAAAS seeks to challenge disciplinary boundaries by bringing together original and innovative work by scholars who focus on topics as diverse as literature, cultural studies, film and new media, visual arts, ethnic studies, indigenous studies, performance studies, queer studies, border studies, mobility studies, age studies, game studies, and animal studies. Apart from offering insights into trans- and international American literary and cultural studies and offering European perspectives on America, the journal also solicits scholarship that deals with history, music, politics, geography, ecocriticism, race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, law, and any other aspect of American culture and society.
ISSN: 2616-9533 (online). Publication: 23 Oct 2026