On paternal subjectivity: a qualitative longitudinal and psychosocial case analysis of men’s classed positions and transitions to first-time fatherhood

Coltart, Carrie; Henwood, Karen

doi:10.1177/1468794111426224

Cited by 39 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Both approaches seem to involve competing forms of normative masculinity -as fathers, men experience what Coltart and Henwood (2012) term a push towards new forms of subjectivity, and a pull from old discourses. On one hand, fathers present themselves as good carers and place great emphasis on emotional closeness to their young children, suggestive of a transition from orthodox to inclusive masculinity.…”

Section: Concluding Thoughtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Involved fatherhood in the Nordic context: dominant narratives, divergent approaches

Farstad

Stefansen

2015

NORMA

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Abstract:This paper focuses on narratives and practices of 'involved fatherhood', the ideal of an emotionally present and nurturing father. The geographical context of the study is Iceland, one of the ´father-friendly´ Nordic welfare states. Of particular concern in this paper are connections between involved fatherhood and constructions of masculinity. The emergence of involved fatherhood is often linked to changes in masculinity ideals, from 'old' to 'new'. Our analysis, which is based on qualitative interviews with parents of young children, indicates a more complex picture. Our point of departure is the narrative of involved fatherhood which is dominant in Nordic policy formation. This narrative is strongly linked to early childhood care and the development of fathers' individual caring practices -often presented as a prerequisite for gender equal parenting. Other types of fathering are positioned in contrast, representing outdated and deficit forms of fathering. Our analysis suggests, however, that involved fatherhood is portrayed and enacted through practices linked to both 'orthodox' and 'inclusive' masculinity, both among middle-class fathers who identify with the primary carer narrative and a more diverse group of fathers who do not. We conclude that involved fatherhood comes in different forms that should be further explored in terms of their respective potential and limitations for gender equal parenting.

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Section: Concluding Thoughtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The analyses are based on qualitative interviews with parents from diverse social backgrounds, with the specific aim of highlighting variations among fathers. In line with Coltart and Henwood (2012), we will be challenging 'uncritical celebration of new fatherhood and attempts to dismiss it as cultural fallacy ' (p. 36). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Involved fatherhood in the Nordic context: dominant narratives, divergent approaches

Farstad

Stefansen

2015

NORMA

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“…El entusiasmo de los hombres con el modelo del nuevo padre es socavado por sus incursiones en los discursos dominantes de la masculinidad, que los aleja de las potencialidades más radicales de la nueva paternidad y los mantiene en el terreno más seguro del padre protector y proveedor (Coltart & Henwood, 2012). Aunque algunos logran subvertir los discursos hegemónicos de la masculinidad, considerando que es más masculino el padre que se hace cargo de sus hijos (Henwood & Procter, 2003).…”

Section: Expectativas En Torno a La Paternidad: ¿Nuevos Padres?unclassified

Anticipating Fatherhood: “She is the One who is Pregnant”

Herrera

Pavicevic²

2016

mcs

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This article seeks to understand how men that are going to become fathers for the first time in Chile, anticipate fatherhood. To achieve this purpose, 14 men that were close to having their first child were interviewed. Three topics are studied in depth: 1. The expectations surrounding fatherhood, 2. The masculine experiences of pregnancy and 3. The experiences surrounding antenatal health care. The men want to be involved and caring fathers, but still consider that their primary role is to provide. They are very conscious of the protagonism that pregnancy gives to their couples and see themselves as companions in the process. They feel their couples have a physical and direct relationship with their future child, while they can only have an indirect experience mediated by the female body and technology. They value the moments in which they have been able to ‘feel’ the baby (listen to its heartbeats, see it in ultrasounds, feel its movements). They believe it is natural that their couples are the center of attention during prenatal checkups, but some feel patronized by the healthcare professionals. The men perceive the process of waiting for the baby as profoundly differentiated by gender.

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“…Recent years have seen an increased willingness to address the nature of masculinity in old age (Calasanti, 2004;Tarrant 2013) and, in particular, how men's identities can change as they transition through the life course (Spector-Mersel, 2006). Moments in the life course such as marriage (Thurnell-Read, 2012), fatherhood (Henwood and Procter, 2003;Coltart and Henwood, 2012), retirement and grandfatherhood (Mann, Tarrant and Lesson, 2015) have all been shown to give rise to associated reflections on and changes in men's sense of masculine selfhood. As the next section will describe, having conducted research on men and masculinities with male research participants of various ages, it appears opportune to reflect on the intersection of gender and age and how it influences the nature of fieldwork interactions.…”

Section: Masculinity Fieldwork and Qualitative Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Masculinity, Age and Rapport in Qualitative Research

Thurnell‐Read¹

2016

Studies in Qualitative Methodology

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Purpose To reflect on the central role of gender and age in qualitative research practice, particularly in regard to how the gender and age of the researcher influence fieldwork interactions.Design/methodology/approach A reflection of three separate qualitative research undertakings, all of which made use of interviews and participant-observation fieldwork.Findings Gender and age intersections of both the researcher and research subjects influence fieldwork interactions both in terms of discursive and embodied interactions. Reflections on past research involve considering the relative changing subject position of the researcher in terms of masculinity, youth and social status. Rapport is established in the field through talk and interaction that can involve the performance of knowledge and gender. The researcher's embodied feeling of 'fitting in' during fieldwork therefor draw on gender, age and ethnicity specific privilege.Originality/value Unlike many acts of researcher reflexivity which reflect on a single research project, this chapter recalls experiences of fieldwork during three separate research undertakings. It adds to debates about methodological issues of doing research into men and masculinities by exploring how such is intersected by the age of both the researcher and researcher participants.Keywords: Age, Embodiment, Knowledge, Masculinity, Rapport, ReflexivitySeveral weeks into what was my first attempt at undertaking qualitative social research, I had a 'breakthrough' moment. It came during an undergraduate project on masculinity and occupational identity in a local fire station and from which my first ever academic publication would emerge (Thurnell-Read and Parker, 2008). Having already made a number of research visits to the local fire station I had begun to get to know my research participants, the 16 male members of Green Watch, who now seemed used to me being around and no longer mistook me for being one of the 'work experience lads' also making occasional appearances in the yard, offices and training rooms of the station. Worryingly, however, I felt I had yet to achieve the 'rapport' with my participants that our course text books had told us was so important 3 in a study of this kind (Hammersley and Atkinson, 2007). I still felt nervous that my presence in this place of work normally out of bounds to the public would be interpreted as intrusive. Then I missed a scheduled 'fieldwork' visit in favour of a drinking session at a house party thrown by some fellow students. On returning to the station the following week it was to my surprise that members of Green Watch had noted my absence and, once I sheepishly admitted the reason for my nonappearance, expressed both praise ('good lad') and jealousy ('lucky sod, wish I was young, free and single again'). From that point on, I noted the more relaxed way in which participants conversed with me.While my main concern at the time was making a success of the research project in order to gain a good grade in the final project write up due that...

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On paternal subjectivity: a qualitative longitudinal and psychosocial case analysis of men’s classed positions and transitions to first-time fatherhood

Cited by 39 publications

References 19 publications

Involved fatherhood in the Nordic context: dominant narratives, divergent approaches

Involved fatherhood in the Nordic context: dominant narratives, divergent approaches

Anticipating Fatherhood: “She is the One who is Pregnant”

Masculinity, Age and Rapport in Qualitative Research

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