Imagining fatherhood: Young Australian men's perspectives on fathering

Thompson, R; Lee, C; Adams, J

Imagining fatherhood: Young Australian men's perspectives on fathering

Thompson, R Lee, C Adams, J

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: International Journal of Men's Health, 2013, 12 (2), pp. 150 - 165
Issue Date:: 2013-06-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Thompson, R	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lee, C	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Adams, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9901-5717	en_US
dc.date.issued	2013-06-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	International Journal of Men's Health, 2013, 12 (2), pp. 150 - 165	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1532-6306	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/26782
dc.description.abstract	Cultural norms that view men as peripheral to family life and to decision-making about parenthood have shaped mainstream research agendas and underlie the relative lack of research on men's perspectives on fatherhood. This semi-structured interview study explored the subjective meaning of having children and being a father in the imagined future lives of 16 male university students in Australia. The men generally had well-considered preferences, attitudes and aspirations about fatherhood and shared them readily and articulately, challenging persisting gender stereotypes. We identified four themes in their talk. Fulfilment and contentment dealt with positively looking forward to an adult life encompassing satisfying work, marriage, and children. Traditional and new fatherhood described talk that simultaneously valued a traditional 'breadwinner' role and close, involved fatherhood, and generally failed to address the inherent contradictions in managing these two models of fatherhood. Time of preparation encompassed talk about the perceived necessity of finishing education, establishing a stable, financially rewarding career, and developing personal maturity as preconditions to fatherhood. Models of family and fatherhood referred to the men's frequent reference to their own families as models that they wished to replicate or, at times, correct in their own fatherhood. Altogether, this study provides a justification for systematic and comprehensive research on men's perspectives, preferences and attitudes regarding fatherhood and family. © 2013 by the Men's Studies Press, LLC.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	International Journal of Men's Health	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3149/jmh.1202.150	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Public Health	en_US
dc.title	Imagining fatherhood: Young Australian men's perspectives on fathering	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	12	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	1701 Psychology	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	12	en_US

Abstract:

Cultural norms that view men as peripheral to family life and to decision-making about parenthood have shaped mainstream research agendas and underlie the relative lack of research on men's perspectives on fatherhood. This semi-structured interview study explored the subjective meaning of having children and being a father in the imagined future lives of 16 male university students in Australia. The men generally had well-considered preferences, attitudes and aspirations about fatherhood and shared them readily and articulately, challenging persisting gender stereotypes. We identified four themes in their talk. Fulfilment and contentment dealt with positively looking forward to an adult life encompassing satisfying work, marriage, and children. Traditional and new fatherhood described talk that simultaneously valued a traditional 'breadwinner' role and close, involved fatherhood, and generally failed to address the inherent contradictions in managing these two models of fatherhood. Time of preparation encompassed talk about the perceived necessity of finishing education, establishing a stable, financially rewarding career, and developing personal maturity as preconditions to fatherhood. Models of family and fatherhood referred to the men's frequent reference to their own families as models that they wished to replicate or, at times, correct in their own fatherhood. Altogether, this study provides a justification for systematic and comprehensive research on men's perspectives, preferences and attitudes regarding fatherhood and family. © 2013 by the Men's Studies Press, LLC.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/26782