Autonomy and Care: Bioethical Principles for Understanding Masculinities in Unemployed Men

Abstract

Introduction: This study proposes an interdiscursive perspective between bioethics and the social and human sciences to understand the phenomenon of unemployment from the male perspective. The objective of the study is to analyse the bioethical principles of autonomy and care for the understanding of masculinity in unemployed men. Method: Qualitative case study from Yin's perspective with a hermeneutic approach, through in-depth interviews with a narrative biographical emphasis. Seven heterosexual men from Bogota, without employment and with family, were recruited through a combined purposive and convenience sampling process. Thematic analysis of the data was carried out after open coding of the narratives, which allowed the construction of families and emerging categories. Results: The main findings revolve around the principles of autonomy and care as macro categories of the social and human sciences and bioethics from a comprehensive perspective. Discussion: The analysis of the bioethical principles of autonomy and care provides key elements to build interdiscursive and interdisciplinary bridges between bioethics and the social and human sciences. It does this by addressing the social phenomenon of unemployment in men and its implications in the rupture of mental and contextual models of men that contribute to the understanding of masculinities.