Male Social Workers’ Non-Hegemonic Experiences from the Feminist Biographical Research Perspective
Journal Title: KultŁ«ra ir visuomenė. SocialiniŁ³ tyrimŁ³ Ł¾urnalas - Year 2011, Vol 2, Issue 2
Abstract
The article focuses on male social workers’ constructions of their professional identity. To examine their professional identities, biographical method is used. it enabled the male social workers to reveal their constructions of identity, professional orientations and trajectories. The analysis of the interviews with 26-59-year-old male social workers uncovers difficulties and conflicts in these men’s practices of masculinity. On the one hand, these men want to have status and power in a decision-making process; on the other hand, they desire to be good social workers and altruistic caregivers. They emphasize care, concern, emotional proximity and empathy as both the non-hegemonic practices and the main goals in their daily work. realizing that they work in a feminized profession for a low salary, nonetheless, the interviewed men strive to be the best in it. Moreover, they are not afraid to admit that social work is their second profession chosen after the crises and difficulties in their personal lives. In narrating their stories, the men attempt to combine practices attributed to traditional hegemonic masculinity with the practices of a male caregiver. A further research should focus both on the particular patterns of a male care and specificities and complexities of masculine practices in the field of social work.
Authors and Affiliations
Natalija Mažeikienė, Agnė Dorelaitienė
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP103148
- DOI -
- Views 97
- Downloads 0
Vyriškumas ir kontraceptinės praktikos: jaunų vyrų Lietuvoje atvejis
Analizuojant 30 pusiau struktūruotų interviu su 19–34 metų vaikų neturinčiais vyrais straipsnyje aptariamos kontraceptinių praktikų ir vyriškumo sampratų sankirtos. Remiantis teorine ir empirine medžiaga argumentuojama,...
Between the Egalitarian and Neotraditional Family: Gender Attitudes and Values in Contemporary Lithuania
Analyzing the data of two representative surveys of the Lithuanian population conducted in 2006, 12 semi-structured interviews with heterosexual couples and 15 semi-structured interviews with men on paternity leave, the...
International Classification of Diseases and Medically Unexplained Disorders
This article focuses on the evolution of perception and definition of health and illness and concurrent substantial changes in the medical classifications of diseases and medicine itself. The article starts with discussi...
Causes and Patterns of Alcohol consumption in Lithuania: Aspects of Harm and Informal control
According to the World Health Organization (2014), the amount of alcohol consumed in Lithuania per person is one of the highest in the world. The consumed alcohol amount is associated with the harm to the individual and...