Men - the latest objects to come under the academic microscope

They're being outnumbered and outperformed by young women at university, writes Melanie Newman.

And, according to controversial Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield, they need to fight back to restore their old-fashioned "irrational manliness"

after an assault by feminists.

New men, and their identity, will come under academic scrutiny at a research centre launched this week at Bradford University.

Sociologists, historians, health sciences and education experts will unite at the Men and Masculinity Research Unit to examine different aspects of male lives such as sexuality, age and ethnicity.

Martin Cowburn, who set up the unit, said: "There are a lot of questions being asked surrounding men's role as fathers and young men and violence, for example."

The research will be split into three areas: men and caring, exploring the role of fathers in families; men's identity, which will examine how race, sex, age and culture affect male behaviour; and men and violence.

Dr Cowburn said: "We were very keen to ensure that the unit did not become concentrated entirely on the negative aspects of male behaviour. We included the men and caring research to ensure that positive aspects are accentuated too."