Abstract (eng)
This thesis investigates the traits and expectations defining masculinity in contemporary Japan, as depicted in parenting guidebooks on the upbringing of boys and male teens. Employing Connell’s concept of hegemonic masculinity, Bourdieu’s theories on “male habitus” and “heritage”, and Sedgwick’s ideas on the “homosocial continuum” and the “erotic triangle”, along with insights from Japanese masculinity scholars like Ishii-Kuntz Masako, Hidaka Tomoko, and Romit Dasgupta, the study conducts a qualitative discourse analysis of three Japanese guidebooks. It analyzes the content as well as the arguments, communication strategies, and stylistic devices employed in these books to reveal contemporary understandings and ideals of masculinity in Japan. Furthermore, by relating these contemporary ideals to “salaryman masculinity”, the thesis evaluates how current portrayals of masculinity align with or diverge from the established norms of Japanese hegemonic masculinity, thereby offering insights into its potential evolution.