Journal of Iranian Social Studies

Abstract Background and aim: Contemporary gender identities and patterns of masculinity have undergone profound transformations that require precise empirical investigation. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of analyzing emerging patterns of young masculinities and discovering novel ways of redefining boyish identity among male adolescents in Someh Sara, in order to gain a deep understanding of the hidden layers of their life-world.
Data and method: This study was conducted using a qualitative approach and the thematic coding method. The research participants consisted of 13 eighteen-year-old male adolescents residing in Someh Sara, who were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected and analyzed through in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews.
Findings: Data analysis led to the identification of seven dynamic types of Youth Masculinities: the "handsome and fit boy," the "charismatic and center-of-the-crowd boy," the "intellectual and cultural critic boy," the "calm and rational boy," the "critic of boyish groups boy," the "capital-oriented and realistic boy," and the "self-made boy." The findings indicate that masculinity in this region has distanced itself from traditional patterns and become diversified.
Conclusion: Youth masculinities has transformed into a dynamic set of lifestyles, aesthetic, mental, and ethical styles that are shaped in interaction with new media, family, school, and social networks. Focusing on their everyday experiences, the new generation of boys is actively redefining the boundaries of boyish identity and their novel ways of presence in the social world.

Abstract This paper tries to give an account of religiosity as well as secularism among 17-18-year-old boys in the city of Soume'sara, Guilan Provinde, Iran from a qualitative perspective. This study intends to find out how people interpret religion and through what mechanisms the religiosity or secularism are formed and established among them. The conceptual framework of this study is derived from the theoretical approaches of Robert Bellah and Meredith McGuire in the field of religion. Research data has been collected using in-depth and semi-structured interview techniques among fifteen young people - mostly students- and by convenient sampling.
The findings of the research show that many students have a personal interpretation of spirituality and their religiosity is not formal. Also, secularization among them is evident in practical life as well as cognitive levels.