American Masculinity and Homosocial Behavior in the Bromance Era

This study examines and reflects upon the current “bromance” culture that has emerged in American society and aims to conceptualize how media texts relate to masculine hegemony. Attention to current media portrayals, codes of conduct, rituals, homosocial interaction, and constructions of masculinity in American culture is essential for the evaluation of the current era of American masculinity. Mediated portrayals present an ironic position on male closeness, dictate how men should behave towards women and other men, and create real life situations in which these mediated expectations are fostered and put into practice. Textual analyses of the films Superbad and I Love You, Man and the television series How I Met Your Mother were conducted, as well as an ethnographic study of cult film audiences of The Room to better understand manifestations of homosocial environments in mediated texts and in real life settings