Poor urban fathers often perceived as 鈥渄eadbeat dads鈥� have instead been revealed to be seeking a loving bond with their child rather than the mother, according to a study to feature at a Brisbane seminar.
United States expert in family studies Professor Kathryn Edin visits 宅男导航鈥檚 and the to present a seminar on Friday, July 20 at 1pm.
The seminar will focus on the changing nature of fatherhood, based on an eight-year ethnographic study of 110 low-income unmarried fathers in Camden and Philadelphia in the United States and published in the book Doing the Best I Can.
Professor Edin says the revelations on how poor urban men view their roles as fathers turn the notion of fatherhood on its head and could have a major impact on policy.
The study revealed a radical redefinition of family life where the father-child bond is central and the parental tie is peripheral.
鈥淚t gives a new understanding of a group of men often dismissed as 鈥榙eadbeat dads鈥�. Although not breadwinners with the shrunken labour market for unskilled and semiskilled males, these men do aspire to be their child鈥檚 best friend,鈥� Professor Edin said.
The expectations of traditional parenting are in stark contrast to the realities, she said.
鈥淚t is a harsh neighbourhood context, nearly devoid of conventional opportunities with the pervasiveness of death, incarceration or addiction.
鈥淚t is the contrast between these deviant, even life threatening, pursuits and the unsullied, simple acts of parenting a child that allows young men to perceive fatherhood as a heroic act,鈥� Professor Edin said.
鈥淭hese men reject the old package deal of family life where the couple relationship was central and was what bound men to their children, in favour of the new package deal where the father-child bond is central and the mother is on the periphery.鈥�
Fathers in the study felt that spending quality time with their child and boosting the child鈥檚 self-esteem were important to withstand possible separation, should incarceration, substance abuse, or other barriers keep men from their children for a time.
鈥淎t the same time, these men have retreated from traditional aspect of the father role, they have embraced fatherhood鈥檚 softer side, imparting love and maintaining a clear channel of communication,鈥� she said.
She said some men lack the necessary commitment, but most falter due to a deficit of psychological resources.
鈥淥ver time fatherhood can simply become too difficult, too damaging to a man鈥檚 fragile self-esteem, and can offer too few rewards,鈥� she said.
Professor Edin was invited to Australia by Professor Janeen Baxter an expert in family and life course studies at The School of Social Science and the Institute for Social Science Research at 宅男导航.
鈥淗er research provides fascinating insights into the ways low income, urban, mostly ethnic minorities in America navigate relationships, marriage and parenting,鈥� Professor Baxter said.
鈥淲e are pleased to welcome Kathy back to 宅男导航 to hear about her latest research. Her seminar this week builds on her earlier research on marriage and mothering among low income women in the US.鈥�
Professor Edin is a sociologist in Public Policy and Management at the Malcolm Wiener Centre for Social Policy, in the United States.
Media: Professor Janeen Baxter, ISSR and School of Social Sciences (07 3365 2871 or j.baxter@uq.edu.au)
