Masculine capital for good and bad as well as research on social work

Authors

• Jiri Nieminen Jyväskylän yliopisto, Kokkolan yliopistokeskus Chydenius

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30668/janus.115796

Abstract

The article figures out the idea of masculine capital as an extension of Bourdieau’s theory of social capital and asks what it could have to give for social work and its research. Methodologically, it interprets previous studies, four dissertations and one other study, on social work dealing with men’s and masculinity, from 2003–2021, from the mentioned perspective. The article suggests that the concept of masculine capital could be divided into exclusive and inclusive masculine capital, the former leading to a one-dimensional perception of masculinity, the latter creating a perspective on empowerment and affirming the autonomy of social work clients in order to preventing practices that causes problems for immediate circle, society and especially for man itself.