"Incrodati". L’interiorità maschile contemporanea fra antichi miti, vecchie rappresentazioni e nuove tensioni. Una ricerca esplorativa.

It seems that there are relevant research gaps in the sociological literature about the ‘masculinenity’, both from the theoretical and the empirical point of view. This research is divided into two parts. The first is a review of the sociological research literature on the topic, focused in particular on all the current trends that call into question contemporary male models. The second part is an exploratory study which, applying an essentially qualitative methodology, investigates a group of young males. A ‘grounded’ research approach, aimed to produce theory on the basis of evidences coming from the field, allowed the researcher to track the role of friendly, affective and family relationships. These relationships resulted indeed fundamental for research participants to promote greater awareness of their own emotional sphere: a sphere which has been for a long time precluded in the male world. It seems thus that a new generation of men is emerging, which is not in line with the stereotypical representations offered by the media. Young men, in contrast with those who criticize them, appear as reflective subjects who are able to relate on an equal level with the opposite sex, they are inclined to have debates and exchanges even about intimate and embarrassing topics, and prepared to make an appropriate work on the Self.