Talking South African fathers: a critical examination of men�s constructions and experiences of fatherhood and fatherlessness

dc.contributor.authorRatele, Kopano
dc.contributor.authorShefer, Tamara
dc.contributor.authorClowes, Lindsay
dc.date.accessioned16/09/2013 15:18
dc.date.available16/09/2013 15:18
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractThe absence of biological fathers in South Africa has been constructed as a problem for children of both sexes but more so for boy-children. Arguably the dominant discourse in this respect has demonized non-nuclear, female-headed households. Fathers are constructed as either absent or �bad�. Thus it has become important to explore more closely how male care-givers have been experienced by groups of men in South Africa. This article examines discourses of fatherhood and fatherlessness by drawing on qualitative interviews with a group of 29 men who speak about their reported experiences and understandings of being fathered or growing up without biological fathers. Two major and intertwined subjugated discourses about adult men�s experiences of being fathered that counter- balance the prevailing discourses about meaning of fatherhood and fatherlessness became evident, namely, �being always there� and �talking fatherhood�. The importance of the experience of fatherhood as �being there�, which relates to a quality of time and relationship between child and father rather than physical time together, is illustrated. It is not only biological fathers who can �be there� for their sons but also social fathers, other significant male role models and father figures who step in at different times in participants� lives when biological fathers are unavailable for whatever reason. Second, many positive experiences of fathers or father figures that resist a traditional role of authority and control and subscribe to more nurturant and non-violent forms of care, represented as �talking� fathers, are underlined. If we are to better understand the impact of colonial and apartheid history and its legacy on family life in contemporary society, there is a need for more historically and contextually informed studies on the meaning of fatherhood and fatherlessness.en_US
dc.description.accreditationWeb of Scienceen_US
dc.identifier.citationRatele, K. , et al. (2012). Talking South African fathers: a critical examination of men�s constructions and experiences of fatherhood and fatherlessness. South African Journal of Psychology, 42(4): 553-563en_US
dc.identifier.issn0081-2463
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/716
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1177/008124631204200409
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.privacy.showsubmitterFALSE
dc.publisherSage Publicationsen_US
dc.rightsThis is the author's final draft following peer review. It may be displayed and circulated, subject to full acknowledgement of author and source. The published item is copyright Sage Publications.
dc.status.ispeerreviewedTRUE
dc.subjectFamilyen_US
dc.subjectFatheren_US
dc.subjectGenderen_US
dc.subjectMasculinityen_US
dc.subjectMenen_US
dc.subjectSouth Africaen_US
dc.subjectTalking fathersen_US
dc.titleTalking South African fathers: a critical examination of men�s constructions and experiences of fatherhood and fatherlessnessen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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