This thesis investigates the way in which tensions between the discursive dominance of the nuclear model and an acknowledgement of the plurality of family forms has been embodied in popular representations of fatherhood. Based on assumptions of gendered spheres of experience that define the domestic sphere as primarily ‘feminine’, fathers occupy an uncertain position within the discourse of the nuclear family. It is this ambiguous position, when contrasted with an assumption of their ultimate dominance, which creates confusion between the symbolic figure of the absent patriarch and the literal presence of the father within family life. Television, in particular, has regularly been forced to confront this dynamic between discursive absence and literal presence, due to the centrality of the nuclear family in both the commissioning and scheduling of programmes. Television’s representation of fatherhood regularly re-asserts or undermines patriarchal privilege by representing the father as a threat to the coherence of the family unit or as an overgrown adolescent who ultimately acquiesces to the ‘natural’ domestic authority of the female. In this way, popular television is able to continue restating a model of the patriarchal nuclear family, while simultaneously acknowledging its contested status as a norm of family life. As highly negotiated attempts to move beyond these common models have proven, however, this approach threatens to replicate a limited discourse of family life through incorporating variation into a single model, rather than broadening available representations. Through an analysis of the representation of fatherhood in the domestic comedy, this thesis begins by investigating the genre’s ability to invert traditional power relationships, allowing it to explore the limits of representing a coherent model of the nuclear family. Progressing to an analysis of the representation of fatherhood in television advertising, it goes on to examine the relationship between an acknowledgement of these limitations and idealised representations of family life within consumer culture. Incorporating a close reading of the ‘Adam’ series of adverts for British Telecom, their representation of a non-nuclear family unit and the role of the father within this unit, this work also considers the potential challenges and rewards of representing alternative models. Exploring both popular and academic discourses of family life throughout, this thesis concludes with a discussion of the possibility of imagining new forms of family that successfully include the father, and the threat to this process posed by their current incorporation into pre-existing representational models.

Studies of the language of father in the Old Testament have sought to show either the centrality of this locus or its peripheral status. Both tend to work on the basis of a Religionsgeschichte approach, striving to situate texts that use father language in a wider Ancient Near Eastern setting. While there is doubtless a relationship between Israel's use of such language and that of antiquity, appeal to the latter serves largely to bring divergent views into bold relief. Language of father is relatively rare in the Old Testament. We indicate where it does appear, and why. The diachronic method is insufficient and word studies are inadequate for the questions, providing only a metaphorical universe of Near Eastern gods and God, which generate such divergent views. Presented here is an accounting of the canon's locus of "God as Father," sensitive to history-of-religion, yet allowing canonical presentation to have its own integrity within the theological universe of the Old Testament. In order to place matters in context, the first section examines the history-of-religion approach and its logical outgrowth in modern feminism. This section also surveys recent Trinitarian defences of father-language for God, viewed essentially as constructive reaction to feminism, but manifesting in itself failure to accord with Old Testament language and to account for Christological issues. The second section examines Hebrew texts that use father-language. The argument follows closely Scripture's order and character. If a history-of-religions approach focuses on evolutionary and non-canonical treatments, what is the alternative? Only when the issue is handled essentially from within can the relative scarcity of the locus, "God as Father," be acknowledged and light be shed on the reasons for the appearance of such language at all and just what it means. The final section offers a prudential statement of how father-language functions in the Old Testament and is meant to function in theological speech. Divine paternity is seen in terms of Israel's election by and covenant relationship with her God rather than primarily in general creation. Due to the existence and centrality of the Hebrew nomen sacrum direct reference to God in father-language was likely held in symbiotic reserve, until in post- exilic time in father became increasingly a metonym for God. It is in this context that Jesus' understanding and use of father-language is explicable.

Research in recent decades has identified a conception among fathers, and others, of a widespread qualitative change in the potential nature of fatherhood for men. This widely circulated ideal of contemporary, participatory fatherhood is characterised as new, intimate, involved and productive of new practices of ‘masculinity’ (Henwood and Procter, 2003). A belief that fathers play a major part in family life and family a major part in fathers’ lives may, first, change the nature of the life course transition entailed in becoming a father. Second, ‘new’ fatherhood is new in that it is distinguished from a model of authoritarian distance associated with ‘traditional’ fatherhood. What is new is that the primary focus of fatherhood is intimate relationships with children. Third, intimate relationships are generated through fathers’ involvement in family life alongside mothers in a more equitable sharing of the responsibilities of parenting. Finally, as distinctions between maternal and paternal are blurred, some of the lines between ‘masculine’ and ‘not-masculine’ are redrawn. These aspects which the ideal of ‘new’ fatherhood constructs as arenas of change correspond to the domains in relation to which diversity among contemporary fathers are explored in this thesis. Accounts of becoming and being fathers were generated in semi-structured qualitative interviews with a diverse sample of 31 fathers. The first dimension of fatherhood analysed is the place of visions of family and fatherhood in the process of becoming a father. Participants’ situated their orientation to fatherhood in the life course and in the partner relationship. In examining how participants construct family’s needs and parents’ responsibilities, I argue that imagined and lived family relationships are significant for men’s orientations to fatherhood, for their attitude to having further children and for evaluating the resources, material and otherwise, for doing so. The second dimension considered is intergenerational legacies. Participants with different experiences of the father-child relationship engage with their parenting heritage and characterise the legacy they would like to pass on. Connections and breaks with the previous generation of fathers are understood in terms of parent-child relationships, biographical narratives and the relational and discursive resources and constraints of the present. The relation of fatherhood to motherhood is the third dimension explored, through analysis of the different ways in which participants in couples construct, first, the relation between their own practice and their partner’s in the parenting partnership and, second, the relation between caregiving, provision, paid work and career in their own practice. I argue that fathers’ practice is worked through in the lived relationship with their partner, in terms of the division of labour and responsibilities and in the negotiation of similarity and difference, equality and authority, and with reference to a range of discursive resources. Many fathers seek to balance their commitments to the different dimensions of fatherhood in relation to paid work, but in other dimensions of personal life. The fourth aspect of the analysis examines accounts where fathers speak of co-existing contradictory orientations, to freedom and commitment, for example, and moments of ambivalence in relation to the normative articulations of ‘masculinity’ and fatherhood. On the basis of this four-fold analysis of diversity in contemporary multidimensional fatherhood, I argue for a plural focus on the practices of doing family, doing fatherhood and un/doing gender makes conceptual space for engaging critically with the diverse practices through which fathers sustain the relationships and fulfil the responsibilities of multi-dimensional fatherhood.

Orientador: Maria de Fátima de Campos Françozo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T15:58:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cortelo_FernandoMarcio_M.pdf: 792474 bytes, checksum: 53532102d80233c4c7a174d9b7a721de (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Este estudo buscou conhecer a partir do olhar paterno, vivências com filhos surdos; sentimentos e percepções desde as primeiras suspeitas à detecção e diagnóstico da perda auditiva no filho. Objetivou-se conhecer as dificuldades relacionadas à elaboração e a aceitação da surdez, assim como dificuldades cotidianas no enfrentamento da surdez. Também foram estudados aspectos da comunicação pai-filho assim como as expectativas em relação à fala, a linguagem e ao futuro do filho. A família e possíveis repercussões causadas pela perda auditiva na relação conjugal também foram investigadas A metodologia utilizada foi a pesquisa qualitativa, pois esta melhor se adéqua quando se busca compreender sentimentos e significados de ações humanas. Participaram da pesquisa cinco pais de filhos surdos que estavam em atendimento no CEPRE. As entrevistas ocorreram individualmente, guiadas por um roteiro de perguntas semi - estruturado. Foram entrevistados pais que atendiam aos critérios de inclusão e que consentiram com os objetivos da pesquisa, estando em acordo com o TCLE. Os resultados apontaram que a descoberta da surdez geralmente ocorre depois de um ano, nesse período os pais experimentam muitas dificuldades em reconhecer qualquer aspecto diferente com seus filhos. Essa nova situação, em muitos casos, se materializa em comportamentos de imobilidade, fragilidade e impotência frente às demandas geradas pela surdez do filho, comportamentos que se refletem nas condutas externas, adiando ou retardando o início da reabilitação. É comum observar neste momento justificativas para o atraso na linguagem. Os pais experimentam nesse processo, sentimentos diversificados, permeado por dúvidas e incertezas, situações que exigem resignificações e elaboração do filho idealizado ao filho real, nesse processo pôde-se observar a busca de culpados pelo ocorrido. Foi percebida unânime necessidade entre os pais deste estudo, em se certificarem sobre o tipo e a extensão da surdez de seus filhos. O papel dos profissionais da reabilitação se mostrou um fator de grande importância tanto no esclarecimento de informações relativas à perda auditiva quanto na articulação do pai no processo de reabilitação da criança. A surdez mostrou influencias positivas e negativas nos relacionamentos conjugais, ora surgindo como fonte de conflitos, ora como propiciadora de grandes ajustes entre o casal. Os pais se mostraram bastantes participativos na vida dos filhos, nas relações de cuidado, reabilitação, no brincar, embora o trabalho tenha surgido como um fator que pode interferir nessa proximidade, dificultando a comunicação com os filhos e evolução dos mesmos na língua de sinais. Isso tem repercutido na dificuldade em tratar assuntos mais complexos com o filho, surgindo adaptações que facilitam a comunicação: os sinais caseiros. Dificuldades de natureza cotidiana foram apontadas, referente ao preconceito social para com os surdos, relacionadas à inclusão escolar, dificuldades em encontrar a instituição adequada, o tipo de tratamento, qualidade de atendimento, deslocamento do filho para a reabilitação e necessidade de reorganizar papeis e atividades do dia-a-dia / Abstract: The study aimed to know by the paternal view, experiences with deaf kids; feelings and perceptions since the first suspicions, to the detection and diagnosis of the kid's loss hearing. It also aimed to know the difficulties related to the elaboration and acceptance of the deafness, as the daily difficulties on deafness coping. It was also studied aspects from the kid-parents communication as the expectations related to the speech, language and future of the kid. The Family, and possible repercussion caused by the loss hearing on the couple relationship were also investigated. The methodology used was the qualitative research, because this one is the one that fits better when it is aimed to search for feelings and meanings for the human acts. The research had participation from five parents from deaf kids that were under treatment at CEPRE. The interviews were made individually, guided by a script of questions semi- structured. The parents interviewed were the ones who attended the inclusion criteria and that consented with the research objectives, complying with TCLE. The results pointed that the deaf discovery runs generally after one year, and in this period the parents experience lot of difficulties in recognizing any different aspect with their kids. This new situation, in many cases materialize itself in behaviors of stillness, frailty, and powerlessness in front of demands due to the kid's deafness, and this behavior reflects on external conducts, postponing or delaying the beginning of rehabilitation. It is common to observe at this point excuses for the language delay. In this process, parents experience a diversity of feelings, permeated for doubts and uncertainties, situation that demands a re-signification and elaboration from the idealized kid to the real kid; at this point of the process, it can be observed the seek for culprits for what happened. Among the parents involved in this study, it was possible to note the unanimous need of certifying themselves about the type and extension of their kid's deafness. The role of rehabilitation professionals showed itself a factor of great importance whether on enlightenment of information related to loss hearing or in parents' articulation on their kid's process of rehabilitation. The deafness showed positive and negative influences on couple relationships, sometimes as a conflict source, and sometimes providing great adjusts between the couple Parents showed themselves greatly involved with their kid's lives, on caring relationships, rehabilitation, on playing, although the work had appeared as a factor that could interfere on this proximity, making hard the communication with the kids and their evolution on the signs language. This has its reflection on the difficulty in treating more complexes subjects with the kids, and there arise adjustments that facilitate the communication, the home-made signs. Everyday life difficulties were pointed, referring to the social prejudice against deaf people, related to school inclusion, difficulties in finding the suitable institution, the type of treatment, care and support quality, kid's displacement to the rehabilitation and the need to reorganize roles and activities of day by day / Mestrado / Interdisciplinaridade e Reabilitação / Mestre em Saúde, Interdisciplinaridade e Reabilitação

Magister Artium (Social Work) - MA(SW) / Fatherhood is a role that is understood and exercised differently, but to most it infers a responsibility to provide and protect. Fatherhood is associated with manhood, in the sense that a man is expected to take on the role of fatherhood. The relationship between manhood and fatherhood is: the physical act of begetting a child (manhood) and the processes of accepting, as well as, performing, the role of a father (fatherhood). A paternal identity, or a man’s identity as a father, comprises of all the internalized expectations of behaviour that he has associated with being a father (e.g. being a breadwinner, being a caregiver). In the Western world, it is widely accepted that a man becomes a father when he impregnates a woman; however, masculinity is neither biologically determined nor automatic. There are many different, culturally sanctioned ways, of being a man; not only one universal masculinity. It can therefore be presumed that masculinity/fatherhood/manhood is acted or performed. This study focuses on biological fathers, instead of the broader concept of father figures. Any male can fulfil the role of a father figure to a child and take responsibility for rearing a child, but biological fathers indicate a blood relationship and a biological connection. A paternal father also retains his status as a biological parent of a child, regardless of the level of subsequent contact or involvement in the child’s life. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of the partners and adolescent children, when biological fathers are incarcerated. In order to do this, an assessment of the biological father’s experiences, in prison, is first implemented. Paternal incarceration places a strain on families, especially children, who experience parent-child separation. The unexpected separation of a child from the parent can be linked to various emotional consequences. Incarceration limits fathers ‘familial involvement and parenting capacity’, thereby compromising family relationships. Incarcerated fathers are separated from their partners and children, which limits family contact in many ways, weakening familial bonds, not only while time is being served, but also after release. The incarcerated man also experiences a sense of insignificance, being devalued as a person and powerless.A qualitative research approach was used to explore the objectives of the study. Purposive sampling was used to select twenty incarcerated participants for this research. Due to the strict selection criteria, only fourteen (14) were eventually chosen to participate in the study. Their fourteen (14) spouses/partners and biological adolescents were also expected to participate, however, only four (4) partners, one (1) significant carer and 5 adolescents formed part of the sample for this study, due to some partners not wanting to expose their adolescents, nor their personal details, to scrutiny and others simply not being interested to participate. Data was collected by using semi-structured interviews with face-to-face interaction, open-ended questions (with fathers) and focus discussion groups (with the partners, significant carer and adolescents). Although the theoretical framework focuses on Attachment Theory, the study also considers other principles of criminological theories, regarding the identified increase in child disruptive and criminal behaviour, caused by parental incarceration. A thematic data analysis approach was used to extract themes. The main findings of this study show that the fathers experienced difficulties with maintaining their role as a father prior to, and after, incarceration. They were concerned about the financial adversity their families had to endure when they were imprisoned and the mothers/partners being forced into single parenthood. They also felt excluded from all decision-making processes and isolated from the development of their children. The partners experienced financial difficulties, loneliness and humiliation, as a result of the biological father’s incarceration. The significant carer, who was involved as a result of the biological mother not being able to fulfill the caring role, identified the problems experienced as financial difficulties, lack of child-care support and, in some cases, the substance abuse of the biological mother. The separation affected the adolescent children psychologically, when they were exposed to the stigma attached to having a father, who was incarcerated. They also identified feelings of abandonment because of the lack of a father-child relationship and being deprived of opportunities to share important events and personal achievements with their biological father.

Whereas the effect of motherhood on women’s earnings has been well documented, little research has been done in Canada exploring the impact of fatherhood on men’s earnings. Although international research has shown that, unlike women, men who have a child increase their earnings, a growing body of research suggests that this benefit may be mediated by whether or not the father takes a parental leave. Using the 2011 General Social Survey (GSS) on family issues and employing ordinary least squares regression I investigate whether fathers receive an earnings bonus compared to childless men and whether fathers who take paternity/ parental leave earn less than fathers who do not. Our findings show that after controlling for personal and work related characteristics fathers earn significantly more than childless men and fathers who took paternity/parental leave earn significantly less than fathers who did not. Potential explanations for these earnings gaps are discussed.

Most industrialised countries have witnessed a shift in the 'male breadwinner' model of family life as new generations of mothers have increasingly combined employment with parenting responsibilities. This has had implications for the role of fathers and their contributions to childcare and domestic work have increased as a result. However the change in fathers' contributions has not kept pace with the change in women's economic activity, suggesting there are social, political, economic and cultural barriers in place. Two sweeps of the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) are used to explore some of the conditions under which fathers become more actively involved in childcare and housework when cohort children are aged nine months and three years old. This question is examined cross-sectionally and longitudinally within the context of a two parent, heterosexual household in Britain. Three data classification techniques are used to derive two latent measures that represent two dimensions of paternal involvement (engagement and responsibility). Multiple regression is used to model involvement at aged nine months; logistic regression is used to model what type of caregiver a father is when the child is aged three. The main findings are: · Patterns of maternal and paternal employment have the strongest association with paternal involvement at both time points. When children are aged nine months, the hours that a mother works appear to have a stronger association with paternal involvement than fathers' own work hours (although this is still important). The likelihood of a father being involved with his three year old also increases dramatically the longer the hours the mother spends in paid work. Fathers' own work hours have a slightly stronger association with whether they take on a primary caregiving role at age three. · There are considerable variations in involvement when the child is aged nine months by ethnicity as involvement is lower for fathers with an Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi background. Responsibility for housework, however, is slightly higher for black/black British fathers. · Various demographics also have a small association with involved fathering atage three. For example, fathers are more likely to be involved when their child is a boy, when there are no other children in the household and when they took leave following their child's birth. The thesis exposes some of the employment and demographic conditions associated with greater paternal involvement with young children. In doing so it also brings to light some of the barriers to greater gender equity in the division of domestic labour (childcare and housework). The findings emphasise the importance of employment hours with long work hours hindering involvement and mothers' participation in the labour market encouraging it. The thesis provides a foundation from which to develop further analyses so that a better understanding of the variations in paternal involvement can be achieved.

This study utilized a phenomenological approach to examine adult children's views of how their fathers connected with them as children. Participants consisted of 10 men and 12 women between the ages of 30 and 60 who were interviewed about connection experiences with their fathers. Participants completed interviews related to their perspectives on being fathered, experiences as a son or daughter, and what they experienced in connecting with their fathers. Findings indicated that fathers connect with children through a variety of contexts that include memorable occasions, activities, personal interactions, routines, events, and other means. Also. obstacles to connection between fathers and children were explored. Study findings and their implications for theory, research, and practical application are discussed.

This is a qualitative study that explores meanings around fatherhood among Xhosa fathers in Cape Town. In so doing, the dissertation goes on to explore attitudes, beliefs, and needs of these township fathers have with regards to taking care of their children. This is a descriptive and exploratory qualitative study which was conducted with a sample of 4 Xhosa fathers. Responses around fathering clustered into the following themes: challenging notions of nurturing as women's roles, changing patterns in fatherhood, fatherhood as a process, multiple ways of fathering, communal and familial support structures, and deviation from ‘traditional' norms and ‘traditional' ideas around fathering. The fathers in this study identified a number of benefits and opportunities to being good fathers who were actively involved in their children's lives.

This thesis discusses the concept of fatherhood in the novels of Milan Kundera. The first part of the analysis focuses on initiation rituals leadings to the construction of the masculine identity and the future quality fatherhood; this thesis discusses unwanted fatherhood, the phenomenon of the missing father and the ethical aspects of the (non)fatherhood and the theme of fatherhood as a coming to terms with the world. I concentrate on the basic models od fatherhood in Kundera's novels, which bear a resemblance to archetypes of father. But it is less a typical archetypes analysis than a interpretative analysis combined with a resisting reading. This thesis compares traditional concepts with concepts od modern (feminist) science and applies it to Kundera's characters.