The procreational particularities of young men: cultural norms, individual desires and experiences – project results
In seeking to reveal the content and expression of the procreational particularities of young men, plus the social factors forming them in Lithuania, as part of the implementation of the project a qualitatively new, multidisciplinary study was conducted analyzing the relationship between procreational aspirations, visions of fatherhood, and contraceptive practices and cultural masculinity models, features of romantic relationships, and fantasies of a good life. Sixty semi-structured interviews with young males (aged 19-34) were conducted who live in various locations in Lithuania, who were childless and from different social groups. A subjectivist interpretational methodology was applied in the project, revealing the subjective experiences of the research participants.
Five publications were written based on the project results (references to these publications are given below). The research results were also presented to different researcher and practioner audiences in three national and four international conferences that took place in Lithuania and abroad.
Scientific publications prepared based on the project results:
Tereškinas, A. 2014. Masculinity Scripts, Good Life and Familial Intentions: the Case of Young Lithuanian Men. Social Sciences. Nr.4 (86). http://socsc.ktu.lt/index.php/Social/article/view/7882/4443
Tretjakova, V., Šumskaitė, L., Šėporaitytė - Vismantė, D. 2014. Fertility desires and visions of fatherhood: individual preferences of young heterosexual men in Lithuania. Filosofija. Sociologija / Philosophy. Sociology. T. 25. Nr. 4, Lietuvos mokslų akademija. p. 300–307. http://www.lmaleidykla.lt/filosofijasociologija/2014/4/7049
Šėporaitytė – Vismantė, D. 2015. Judėjimo negalią turinčių jaunų vyrų prokreaciniai lūkesčiai ir tėvystės vizijos, STEPP: socialinė teroija, empirija, politika ir praktika, Nr. 10. http://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/socialine-teorija-empirija-politika-ir-praktika/article/view/4860/3115
Šumskaitė, L. 2014. Jaunų homoseksualių ir biseksualių vyrų prokreaciniai lūkesčiai Lietuvoje, Kultūra ir visuomenė: socialinių tyrimų žurnalas, Nr. 3, Vytauto Didžiojo u-tas. http://culturesociety.vdu.lt/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/4_Sumskaite_Jaunu_homoseksualiu_biseksualiu_vyru_prokreaciniai.pdf
Tretjakova, V. 2014. Vyriškumas ir kontraceptinės praktikos: jaunų vyrų Lietuvoje atvejis“, Kultūra ir visuomenė: socialinių tyrimų žurnalas, Nr. 3, Vytauto Didžiojo u-tas. http://culturesociety.vdu.lt/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/5_Tretjekova_Vyriskumas_kontraceptines_praktikos.pdf
Barbora Didžiokienė: memories of the little artist. Vol. II prep-work
The purpose of this project is to conduct the preparation work towards release of Vol. II of artist Barbora Didžiokienė’s journal.
Barbora Didžiokienė (1896–1976), was a famous Russian-born Lithuanian painter, graphic artist and stage designer from the inter-war period, and wife of painter Vladas Didžiokas, whose life story-journal is kept in Kaunas in the National M.K.Čiurlionis Art Museum. The Gender Studies Centre, in cooperation with art researcher Ramutė Rachlevičiūtė, released Vol. I in 2011 (616 p.). This was not only a description of a foreign female artist’s youth (until she turned 25), but also a valuable art history and historical source on the early 20th century (from 1896 to 1921), richly illustrated with unique documentary photographs and reproductions of the artist’s works. Vol. II shall continue with Barbora’s life story and creativity in Lithuania (from 1921 to 1976), presenting the drama of “two artists under one roof”. This will give readers a complete introduction to the life of this overlooked yet very important individual in art history from the first half of the 20th century, as well as present her creative output.
Project leader – prof. Dalia Leinartė.
Project duration – 2013 July– 2013 November.
Project cofinanced by the Culture Support Foundation.
Young men’s procreational identities: cultural norms, individual desires and experiences
The purpose of this project is to reveal the content and expression of the procreational identity of young men, aged 18-34, as well as the social factors that form them in Lithuania. During the project, the aim is to distinguish the dominant forms of young men’s procreational identities and reveal the procreational desires and their expression among men belonging to different social groups. At the same time, the project seeks to define the impact of the immediate environment, social and cultural factors on the formation of young men’s procreational identity, and the impact of significant life events on their vision of future fatherhood. Qualitative methodology has been used in the research – 60 semi-structured interviews were conducted with men having different social positions (education, employment), family status, sexual orientation, including disabled respondents and those living in urban or rural areas.
Project leader – Dr. Deimantė Šėporaitytė.
Project work group members – Junior research fellow Vaida Tretjakova, Junior research fellowLina Šumskaitė, Prof. Artūras Tereškinas.
Project duration – 1 March 2013 – 31 December 2014.
Project financed by the Lithuanian Science Council.
In 2012 Gender Studies Centre has initiated a global website Women in Democracy creation. The website can be reached by internet adress www.womenindemocracy.org
Stereotypes of Gender Roles in the Occupational Field: System of Broad Monitoring and Education
Project duration – 1 April 2006 – 30 July 2008.
Project was funded by ESF under point 2.3 "Prevention of Social Disjuncture and Social Integration".
History of Women in Lithuania. Socialism as Recalled by Women: Narrative History
The aim of the project: a series of continued publications, dedicated to history of women in Lithuania. The project was conducted in cooperation with the Institute of Lithuanian History and followed by establishmet of Archive of Women's Memories, which is filed at the information – documentation centre of GSC.
Implementation of Gender Mainstreaming at Governmental Level in the EU Member States,
Project duration – 1 December 2005 – 28 February 2007.
The project was promoted by Sweden with Lithuania, Finland and Portugal being the partners, and the Swedish Secretariat for gender research at Götheborg University as a national partner responsible for the project evaluation. The project was funded by the Gender Equality Programme.
Children and Youth Experiencing Sexual and Gendered Violence, 2004
GSC contributed as partners to DAPHNE II project proposed (coordinated) by University of Oulu, Finland.
Prevention Strategy in Schools: A Training Course for Trainers, 2003
The School and Prevention of Sexual Abuse: Summer Course for Teachers, 2002
International Summer school. Participants of the international school: high school teachers from Lithuania, Kaliningrad region (Russia), and Belarus.
International Sexuality Description Project, 2001
This project was proposed by David P. Schmitt, PhD, Department of Psychology, Bradley University, USA.
The Policy Analysis of Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men in Lithuania: Trafficking on Women.
Project duration – 2000-2002.
The aim of the project was situation analysis and provision of expertise to the Government and state institutions, project coordinator: doc. dr. Dalia Marcinkevičienė.
Film Archive
Archive was established in 2001 with the goal of collect the most significant women's presentations in a visual culture. Presently Archive includes more than 60 movies which were made in Soviet Lithuania (1945 – 1990).