The rebirth of masculinity : changing masculine identities in men's magazines and the Maltese male

Abstract

Masculinity is an abstract concept, and what seems to make it even harder to comprehend is the way it evolves and forms new identities and meanings for itself over time. The birth of men's lifestyle magazines in the late 1980s saw the emergence of new kinds of masculinities first the 'new man', and later with the popularity of more down-market magazines such as Loaded and FHM there was the 'new lad.' My qualitative research will look into how these magazines came about and how they formed new masculine identities through their content. By carrying out interviews with Maltese readers of these magazines I investigate how a local audience relates to these portrays of masculinity, and I look into whether through their consumption of them and involvement with them, they are embracing or merely contemplating these new identities.