The "family model" has changed significantly in recent years. More and more fathers are taking an active role in the care and upbringing of their children and parental leave is increasingly being shared between mothers and fathers.
What constitutes the "new" fathers and to what extent has a new understanding of their role been established with them? How is this trend portrayed in the media? What types of fathers are there?
Daniel Stachowiak takes a look at the development of the father role. He describes the obstacles that committed fathers have to face and explains how social work can help. His book is aimed at interested fathers, social workers/educators as well as managers, whom he recommends to make their companies family-friendly for fathers as well.
From the contents:
- Family Policy;
- Change of consciousness;
- understanding of roles;
- Equality;
- Fathers' work;
- Family income
At a glance
- Evaluates survey results from more than 1500 questionnaires of primary school fathers
- Examines subjective paternity concepts using 24 problem-centered interviews from Matzner's study
- 80 sources in the bibliography
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Family and family law through the ages
2.1 The development of the father role within the family since the end of the 18th century
2.2 The development of family law for the family
3 The new modernʽ Fathers in the 21st century
4 The Diversity of the Father Role – Typing Approaches in Family Research
4.1 The role of the father in the family after Fthenakis/Minsel (2002)
4.2 MannsBilder – A Decade of Men's Development after Zulehner (2003)
4.3 Fatherhood from the point of view of fathers – Subjective paternity concepts according to Matzner (2004)
4.4 New fathers – different children? Fatherhood, family triad and socialization after Bambey/Gumbinger (2006)
4.5 Summary
5 Obstacles and difficulties for committed fatherhood
5.1 Family income
5.2 mothers
5.3 Working environment and expectations
5.4 The insecurity of fathers
6 Father's work in social work
6.1 Professionalism in fathers' work
6.2 Approaches of Father's Work in Social Work
7 Fathers in family policy
8 Conclusion and outlook
Objectives and Topics
This thesis examines the evolving role of fathers in modern society, analyzing how paternal identity has shifted from the traditional breadwinner model to active and egalitarian caregiving, while identifying structural obstacles and exploring the role of social work and family policy in supporting modern fatherhood.
- Historical evolution of the father's role and family law since the end of the 18th century
- Typologies and sociological classification models of contemporary fatherhood
- Structural and personal obstacles to committed fatherhood, including maternal gatekeeping and workplace culture
- Integration and professionalization of fathers' work within the field of social work
- Family policy frameworks, parental leave regulations, and gender equality initiatives
Excerpt from the Book
3 The new modernʽ Fathers in the 21st century
The historical review summarized in chapter 2 shows the development of the family and fatherhood up to the 21st century. A constant change that continues to this day and where at no time in the course of history has there been a precisely defined role of the man (cf. BMFSFJ 2006, p. 12). The changed gender ratio, among other things due to the legal equality of women and the associated increased participation of women in gainful employment, makes it necessary to modernise the understanding of the role of parenthood (cf. Gumbinger/Bambey 2009, p. 195). "The patriarchal family structures are increasingly changing into partnership and egalitarian relationship patterns with growing negotiation processes on family matters" (ibid.). In society, the traditional understanding of fathers as the sole breadwinner of the family is increasingly rejected as no longer up-to-date (cf. Meuser 2012a, p. 64). Gumbinger and Bambey describe the change from a traditional father figure to a new father as a process of social modernization.
"In recent years, the concept of the 'new' father has increasingly appeared in the discussion. This is associated with a new, positive paternity that differs significantly from the well-known traditional father" (Matzner 2001, p. 5). The word "new" aims at a change from paternity and paternity towards the inclusion of the father in the inner family life and the emotional and actual care of his children (cf. Wolde 2007, p. 251). But how is the new father role defined? What are the hallmarks of the 'new fathers' and which models have become entrenched in society? Bambey and Gumbinger describe the characteristics of the so-called new paternity as an increased and diverse commitment of fathers in the context of a more emotional father-child relationship as well as a stronger family orientation with an increasingly egalitarian understanding of partnership (cf. Bambey/Gumbinger 2017, p. 15).
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: Introduces the debate surrounding the 'new' father, societal hype, and the research objectives regarding modern paternal roles.
2 Family and family law through the ages: Outlines the historical evolution of paternal functions within the family since the late 18th century and traces milestones in German family law reforms.
3 The new modernʽ Fathers in the 21st century: Analyzes the emergence of modern fatherhood concepts and the influence of public media and changing gender expectations.
4 The Diversity of the Father Role – Typing Approaches in Family Research: Compares four major empirical typologies of fatherhood (Fthenakis/Minsel, Zulehner, Matzner, and Bambey/Gumbinger) highlighting the spectrum of paternal attitudes.
5 Obstacles and difficulties for committed fatherhood: Discusses key barriers to active fatherhood, including income disparity, maternal gatekeeping, workplace expectations, and fatherly insecurities.
6 Father's work in social work: Investigates pedagogical approaches, professional standards, and supportive interventions specifically tailored to fathers in social work practice.
7 Fathers in family policy: Evaluates political regulations such as parental allowance and partner months, emphasizing the need for comprehensive equality policies.
8 Conclusion and outlook: Synthesizes the findings on contemporary paternal roles and offers a perspective on future societal and structural transformations.
Keywords
New Fathers, Fatherhood, Family Research, Social Work, Family Law, Paternal Roles, Maternal Gatekeeping, Parental Leave, Egalitarian Parenting, Breadwinner Model, Typologies of Fatherhood, Family Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this thesis?
The work focuses on examining the changing role of fathers within the family structure and family policy, specifically exploring the emergence and definition of 'new' fathers in the 21st century.
What are the primary thematic areas addressed?
Key areas include the historical development of paternal roles and family law, modern typologies of fatherhood, barriers hindering active paternity, social work interventions, and family policy reforms.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The objective is to provide an in-depth analysis of what constitutes the 'new father', how paternal roles are classified in empirical research, and how social institutions and policies can facilitate committed fatherhood.
Which scientific methodology does the author apply?
The thesis utilizes a literature-based and comparative sociological analysis, evaluating established empirical typologies, statutory reforms, and family research literature.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body examines four major empirical classification studies of fathers, details structural and psychological obstacles like maternal gatekeeping and corporate culture, and reviews approaches to fathers' work in social pedagogy.
Which keywords characterize this academic text?
Essential terms include New Fathers, Fatherhood, Parental Leave, Maternal Gatekeeping, Family Policy, Social Work, Paternal Typology, and Breadwinner Model.
How does maternal gatekeeping affect committed fatherhood?
Maternal gatekeeping refers to behaviors and beliefs where mothers consciously or unconsciously defend traditional spheres of caregiving competence, making it difficult for fathers to establish equal everyday involvement.
What role does parental allowance play in modern German family policy?
Introduced in 2007 with dedicated 'partner months', parental allowance provided targeted financial incentives that significantly increased paternal participation in early childcare and parental leave.
- Quote paper
- Daniel Stachowiak (Author), 2020, Who are the "new" fathers? The changing role of fathers in the family and family policy, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1187318
