Culture and conduct of fatherhood in India (original) (raw)

Envisioning fatherhood: Indian fathers' perceptions of an ideal father

The authors tested theories of housework among tea plantation workers in India, where women comprise the main part of the workforce and are breadwinners in their families. Analysis of 49 semistructured interviews and survey data from 3,181 female workers revealed that although women were mainly responsible for domestic labor, more than half of husbands usually or sometimes helped their wives with cooking, fuel wood collection, and child care. The analyses revealed a curvilinear relationship between husbands' earnings share and their participation in each task, supporting theories of bargaining and gender display. The probability of male participation decreased to its lowest level when men earned less than their wives. Husbands rarely helped with clothes washing-considered the most feminine task-and their participation did not respond to changes in relative earnings. These results

Examining different perspectives on fatherhood: a socio-cultural approach

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2011

Main purpose of the present investigation is to explore cultural perspectives on different aspects of fatherhood. In this study, we analyze perspectives of different cultures on fatherhood by focusing mainly on mythologies, and religious perspectives. Findings suggest that provision, protection, formation (formation of the child's character), and endowment (giving legal status to a child) functions seem to be viewed as primary functions of fatherhood across cultures.

'Why are you carrying him? Where is the mother?': Male caregiving and the remaking of fatherhood and masculinity in Mizoram, Northeast India

NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies, 2019

Viewed as strategic for achieving gender equality, involved fatherhood and the relationship between caregiving and masculinity are increasingly a focus of research. Qualitative research among thirteen urban-dwelling educated men identified as ‘involved’ fathers in Mizoram, Northeast India explores fatherhood in a context where childcare has long been seen as the preserve of women and a discourse of ‘new fatherhood’ has not yet taken root. We argue that a child-oriented ‘family-man’ masculinity has emerged at the intersection of various recent social changes and, critically, personal reflections on the shortcomings of the currently still dominant style of fatherhood predicated on distance from childrearing and household tasks. We discuss the implications of the emergence of involved fatherhood practices among these men for locally hegemonic masculinity. Citation: Burgher, I., and M. Flood. “‘Why are you carrying him? Where is the mother?’: Male caregiving and the reconstruction of fatherhood and masculinity in Mizoram, Northeast India.” NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies (2019).

“His mind will work better with both of us”: a qualitative study on fathers’ roles and coparenting of young children in rural Pakistan

BMC Public Health, 2018

Background: Parents are the primary providers of nurturing care for young children's healthy early development. However, the literature on parenting in early childhood, especially in low-and middle-income countries, has primarily focused on mothers. In this study, we investigate how parents make meaning of fathers' parenting roles with regards to their young children's early health and development in rural Pakistan. Methods: Data were collected between January and March 2017 through in-depth interviews with fathers (N = 33) and their partners (N = 32); as well as separate focus group discussions with fathers (N = 7) and mothers (N = 7). Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results: Parents described a distinct division of roles between fathers and mothers; and also several shared caregiving roles of fathers and mothers. Specifically, parents highlighted aspects of fathers' coparenting and several common ways by which fathers supported their partners. We found that these gendered divisions in parenting roles were strongly embedded within a complex network of interacting factors across the individual, family, and sociocultural contexts of the study community. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a more family-centered conceptualization of fatherhood during early childhood that encompasses both fathers' direct engagement with their young children and their indirect contributions through coparenting, while recognizing a variety of contextual systems that shape paternal parenting. Future parenting interventions that reflect the lived experiences of both fathers and mothers as parents and partners may further enhance the nurturing care environments that are critical for promoting healthy early child development.

Pattern and determinants of paternal involvement in childcare: An empirical investigation in a metropolis of India

An analysis of various aspects of paternal involvement among Indian fathers is presented in this article. The pattern of involvement in terms of the activities participated in, and their frequency of participation have been examined. Overall level of involvement of fathers in childcare has also been determined. A number of hypotheses regarding predictors of paternal involvement have been formulated and examined with the use of empirical data. The study is based on interviews conducted with Indian couples (N = 350) having at least one child aged 10 years or younger. To understand the determinants of paternal involvement, regression has been conducted wherein paternal involvement has been regressed with 14 predictors. Results indicate that paternal involvement in childcare is mainly determined by the perception of individuals towards fatherhood-be it gender role expectations, or perception of the peer group, or fathering received by the individual fathers. Other socio-economic factors affecting paternal involvement have also been examined. As the importance of paternal involvement in childcare is increasingly being recognised, these findings have implications for programmers and policy makers. Interventions to bring about a positive change in the attitude of fathers may improve paternal participation.

The Father's Role in Parenting: a Comparison of Different Cultures and Psychological Perspectives

DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals - DOAJ, 2022

Background: Despite the increasing attention to the role of the father and its importance in child development, little research has been done in this area compared to the mother's role. Methods: : In this article, the father's role in child development was systematically reviewed from the perspective of different theoretical approaches as well as different cultures. Results: The findings showed that the role of men as fathers is changing and evolving from a mere breadwinner to a supporter. Most new generation fathers seek to participate in their children's lives and are more caregiving and emotionally responsive than the previous generation. Fathers have a unique role in raising children, which is different from the mothers' role. The role of the father varies under the influence of culture and social structure. In Asia economic problems have changed the clear definition of the role of father. In the Middle East, Islamic beliefs determine the role of the father as the head of the family. In Europe, the role of the father as a participant and responsible person is improving. The modernization of society in Africa has complicated gaining a coherent and clear image of the father's role for children. In North American countries, parents play an almost equal role in raising children. Expectations from fathers are vague in South America, but these expectations seem to be changing more rapidly. Conclusion: Studies confirm the important role of fathers in parenting from different psychological approaches and the change in men's definition of fatherhood. However, the father's roles are different in different cultural and social contexts.

Correlates of Parenting for Mothers and Fathers From English and Indian Backgrounds

Parenting, 2008

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Protective and risk factors associated with involved fatherhood in a traditional culture

Family Relations, 2022

Objective: Consistent with ecological systems theory and the heuristic model of parental behavior dynamics, the current study is focused on both individual and contextual factors that determine fatherhood involvement in the context of a traditional patriarchal culture. Background: Father-child interaction during the early childhood period is a salient factor in predicting later child outcomes. However, studies on antecedents of involved fatherhood are scarce, mostly concentrated on one aspect of fathering behavior, and limited to few cultural contexts. Method: Data were collected from a representative urban sample of fathers of preschoolers in Turkey (N = 1,070). Different components of fatherhood involvement were assessed to project three distinct paternal behavior dimensions as care, affection, and control. Results: Father role satisfaction, psychological value attributed to the child, and perceived family support were positively associated with involved fatherhood and higher parental warmth. Working hours per day was negatively associated with involved fatherhood, as expected. Higher life satisfaction was associated with higher positive parenting. Patriarchal views of masculinity were found to be the main predictor of parental physical punishment, controlling for all other predictors in the model. Conclusion: Study findings emphasized the importance of factors other than parenting skills that contribute to fathers' parental effectiveness.