Photo 11: Fathering

Photo 11: I took this picture when walking in downtown Campbell of a father out in the town with his son.

Sociological Perspective: How has the role of a father been seen traditionally in society? In what ways are fathers becoming more active in their kids lives? What laws or policies support the traditional father role? Is there backlash against fathers who want to take a more active role in their kids lives?

Analysis: Coltrane talks about the paradoxes of fathering as well as the contradictions and dilemmas in his article. He says that the paradox of American fathers is that they are very important to their children but that they are less likely to live with them, today. Some of the contradictions are that there is more father-child interaction in two-parent families but fewer two-parent families. He discusses two general patterns of fathering, intimate and aloof. An intimate father is one who is more involved in both the family life and the child's life. An aloof family doesn't spend time with the children and tends to hold more traditional gender beliefs. An intimate fathering model is generally better for the community and the children. The middle-class ideology of fatherhood has shifted and was assumed for all but this didn't occur for all. It didn't happen geographically, for all classes or races. In the 1980s, the new father ideal emerged. This father was nurturing, caring, emotionally attuned along with the idea of the new working mother--it was a middle class ideal as well. Overall, Coltrane stresses that the father-child relationship is important because it reduces sexism, promotes gender equality, and curbs violence against women.