Italian Forms of Masculinity between Familism and Social Change

This article sets out to examine some aspects of the tension between social and family change, familism and masculinity in Italy. By familism we mean a cultural value that describes a strong attachment and loyalty to one’s family. This includes a strong reliance on family for material and emotional help. In a familistic culture, the norms and traditions of the family are transmitted to the younger generation, and usually people perceive these norms to be fair and legitimate. If family is seen as the crucial foundation of society, the sense of society is − specularly − not very strong, nor the sense of the state. The article will also look at the current situation in Italy regarding the spread of educational models to enhance more flexible forms of masculinity, able to adapt to the processes of social change.