Masculinities in Transition: Motivations and Trajectories of Men in the Social Work Career

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the motivations that led male graduates of the Social Work program at Alberto Hurtado University to choose this profession over other alternatives when entering higher education. In this context, it is relevant to examine the processes of personal transformation from the perspective of youth trajectories, considering that Social Work has historically been conceived and socially constructed as a feminized profession. The research was conducted using a qualitative case study methodology, based on seven semi-structured interviews with graduates and three interviews with professionals from Alberto Hurtado University. The main findings focus on identifying three major motivations that explain the choice of career and the persistence of this decision throughout their educational trajectory. The study's conclusions allow for an inquiry into the imaginaries and representations associated with the assignment of gender roles and stereotypes, which are socialized and reproduced in different educational settings.