Procreational similarities of young men: cultural norms, individual desires and experiences
Procreational similarities of young men: cultural norms, individual desires and experiences
The first year of the project “Procreational similarities of young men: cultural norms, individual desires and experiences” is drawing to a close. All the intended tasks have been completed, 60 semi-structured interviews with young men (aged 19-34) from different locations in Lithuania, who are childless and from different social groups. The main instrument in this research were questions about young men’s concepts of fatherhood, other men’s assessments of fatherhood, procreational intentions and their change, readiness for becoming a father, their image of children and imagined activities and child care, and potential fatherhood scenarios. Much attention was given to questions about the research participants’ natural families, their relationships with their fathers, mothers and other close people. The scientists note that young men’s experiences in their own birth families and relationships with their immediate family impact on their procreational choices and concepts of fatherhood and manliness. During the interview, significant attention was also given to romantic relationships and their connections with fatherhood, as the nature and quality of relations with a partner and their existing experience in romantic relationships is very closely associated with young men’s procreational intentions and their realization. The group of questions on sexual behaviour and reproductive health helps reveal men’s procreational consciousness, their attitudes towards their own and their partner’s reproductive health, and their understanding of responsibility in family planning matters.
Projects
The procreational particularities of young men: cultural norms, individual desires and experiences – project results
In seeking to reveal the content and expression of the procreational particularities of young men, plus the social factors forming them in Lithuania, as part of the implementation of the project a qualitatively new, multidisciplinary study was conducted analyzing the relationship between procreational aspirations, visions of fatherhood, and contraceptive practices and cultural masculinity models, features of romantic relationships, and fantasies of a good life. Sixty semi-structured interviews with young males (aged 19-34) were conducted who live in various locations in Lithuania, who were childless and from different social groups. A subjectivist interpretational methodology was applied in the project, revealing the subjective experiences of the research participants.
Five publications were written based on the project results (references to these publications are given below). The research results were also presented to different researcher and practioner audiences in three national and four international conferences that took place in Lithuania and abroad.
Scientific publications prepared based on the project results:
Tereškinas, A. 2014. Masculinity Scripts, Good Life and Familial Intentions: the Case of Young Lithuanian Men. Social Sciences. Nr.4 (86). http://socsc.ktu.lt/index.php/Social/article/view/7882/4443
Tretjakova, V., Šumskaitė, L., Šėporaitytė - Vismantė, D. 2014. Fertility desires and visions of fatherhood: individual preferences of young heterosexual men in Lithuania. Filosofija. Sociologija / Philosophy. Sociology. T. 25. Nr. 4, Lietuvos mokslų akademija. p. 300–307. http://www.lmaleidykla.lt/filosofijasociologija/2014/4/7049
Šėporaitytė – Vismantė, D. 2015. Judėjimo negalią turinčių jaunų vyrų prokreaciniai lūkesčiai ir tėvystės vizijos, STEPP: socialinė teroija, empirija, politika ir praktika, Nr. 10. http://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/socialine-teorija-empirija-politika-ir-praktika/article/view/4860/3115
Šumskaitė, L. 2014. Jaunų homoseksualių ir biseksualių vyrų prokreaciniai lūkesčiai Lietuvoje, Kultūra ir visuomenė: socialinių tyrimų žurnalas, Nr. 3, Vytauto Didžiojo u-tas. http://culturesociety.vdu.lt/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/4_Sumskaite_Jaunu_homoseksualiu_biseksualiu_vyru_prokreaciniai.pdf
Tretjakova, V. 2014. Vyriškumas ir kontraceptinės praktikos: jaunų vyrų Lietuvoje atvejis“, Kultūra ir visuomenė: socialinių tyrimų žurnalas, Nr. 3, Vytauto Didžiojo u-tas. http://culturesociety.vdu.lt/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/5_Tretjekova_Vyriskumas_kontraceptines_praktikos.pdf
Barbora Didžiokienė: memories of the little artist. Vol. II prep-work
The purpose of this project is to conduct the preparation work towards release of Vol. II of artist Barbora Didžiokienė’s journal.
Barbora Didžiokienė (1896–1976), was a famous Russian-born Lithuanian painter, graphic artist and stage designer from the inter-war period, and wife of painter Vladas Didžiokas, whose life story-journal is kept in Kaunas in the National M.K.Čiurlionis Art Museum. The Gender Studies Centre, in cooperation with art researcher Ramutė Rachlevičiūtė, released Vol. I in 2011 (616 p.). This was not only a description of a foreign female artist’s youth (until she turned 25), but also a valuable art history and historical source on the early 20th century (from 1896 to 1921), richly illustrated with unique documentary photographs and reproductions of the artist’s works. Vol. II shall continue with Barbora’s life story and creativity in Lithuania (from 1921 to 1976), presenting the drama of “two artists under one roof”. This will give readers a complete introduction to the life of this overlooked yet very important individual in art history from the first half of the 20th century, as well as present her creative output.
Project leader – prof. Dalia Leinartė.
Project duration – 2013 July– 2013 November.
Project cofinanced by the Culture Support Foundation.