Identity, Masculinity and Spirituality: A Study of Australian Teenage Boys

Abstract

This paper presents data on the construction of masculinity among 965 boys aged 15–18 years, in six schools, in Melbourne, Australia. The data are part of a much larger research project on teenage boys and spirituality, and this paper presents data within the component of spirituality, which in the research is termed ‘connectedness with the self’. The boys responses to the question ‘What kind of man do you want to be?’ are presented in three categories: personal integrity and relationship values; success oriented values; and physical/personality values. It is argued that the dominance of personal integrity/relationship values in the boys’ responses suggests that a key component of their spirituality is a growing tendency to challenge the hegemonic ideal of masculinity, and to look towards a future where masculinity is defined in more varied and fulfilling ways.

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