EXTERNALLY-FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Study on Being a Young Man in Australia Today – The Man Box

The Men’s Project will undertake a study on the attitudes and behaviours of young Australian men aged 18 to 30. The study will allow us to better understand young men’s attitudes and behaviours towards a range of topics including gender norms, employment, physical appearance, physical and mental health, relationships, caring for children and housework, sexuality and violence.  This research is modelled on the methodology developed by Promundo in The Man Box: A Study on Being a Young Man in the US, UK, and Mexico, which was published early in 2017. Promundo is a global leader in promoting gender justice and preventing violence by engaging men and boys in partnership with women and girls. Promundo developed a tool called the Man Box, referring to “a set of beliefs, communicated by parents, families, the media, peers, and other members of society, that place pressure on men to be a certain way.” The study defines a set of rules including “to be self-sufficient, to act tough, to be physically attractive, to stick to rigid gender roles, to be heterosexual, to have sexual prowess, and to use aggression to resolve conflicts”, the adherence to which defines whether a man is inside or outside the Man Box.

Project contact
Michael Livingstone
Jesuit Social Services

Funding Body
Privately funded

Project start & End Dates
January 2018 – December 2018