Generative Fathering: Beyond Deficit PerspectivesAlan J. Hawkins, David C. Dollahite SAGE Publications, 1996 M10 31 - 279 pages Much of contemporary scholarship on fathers comes from a deficit model, focusing on men′s inadequacies as parents. This edited volume assembles a group of prominent scholars who go beyond a deficit model of fatherhood to what the editors call a generative fathering perspective. The generative fathering approach, inspired by the developmental theories of Erik Erikson and building on the pioneering research of John Snary, sees the work fathers do for their children in terms of caring for and contributing to the life of the next generation. The editors describe generative fathering, placing it in contrast to the role-inadequacy perspective of fatherhood. Contributors then elaborate on generative fathering in terms of gender, ethnicity, and historical perspectives and present research that helps us understand generative fathering in challenging life circumstances, such as special-needs children, teenage fathering, and divorce and remarriage. Applications for the generative fathering perspective are presented in terms of family life education, clinical work, and scholarly discourse. The editors conclude the volume with a chapter on ways to teach about generative fathering in college courses. Supported by both qualitative and quantitative research, this book goes beyond the frequent identification of fathers as primarily absent, abusive, deadbeat, deficient, or unnecessary, and helps us to understand fathers as men working to build caring bridges across generations. |
Contents
| 1 | |
Chapter 1 Beyond the RoleInadequacy Perspective of Fathering | 3 |
A Conceptual Ethic of Fathering as Generative Work | 17 |
Creating Social Supports for Parenting Equality | 36 |
Chapter 4 An African American Perspective on Generative Fathering | 52 |
A Historical Perspective | 71 |
Chapter 6 Generative Ingenuity in Fatherwork with Young Children with Special Needs | 89 |
A Generative Fathering Perspective Versus the Deficit Myth | 105 |
Chapter 11 Promoting Generative Fathering Through Parent and Family Education | 167 |
Chapter 12 A Generative Narrative Approach to Clinical Work with Fathers | 183 |
Expanding Conceptualizations of Mens Caring in Contemporary Families | 200 |
Fathering as a Contested Arena of Academic Discourse | 217 |
Chapter 15 Questions and Activities for Teaching about Generative Fathering in University Courses | 228 |
References | 242 |
| 263 | |
| 270 | |
beyond the Disappearing Dad | 118 |
When Things Go Well | 134 |
Chapter 10 Men and Women Cocreating Father Involvement in a Nongenerative Culture | 147 |
About the Contributors | 276 |
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Common terms and phrases
activities adult African American African American men Afrocentric approach become behavior breadwinner role Brigham Young University Brotherson challenges Chapter child rearing child support clinical clinicians commitment conceptual ethic context create creative deadbeat dads deficit perspective DeMaris developmental Dienhart discussed divorce Doherty Dollahite economic effective emotional Erikson ethic of fathering example experiences explore family education Family Therapy father involvement father-child fatherhood fathers and children fatherwork feel feminism focus focused former spouses gender Greif Hawkins ideas important individual interaction involved fathers issues lives male marital transition marriage means men's ment moral mothers narrative nurturing one's Palkovitz parent and family parent education parental involvement partner patterns Pleck potential programs promote relations relationship remarriage riences role role-inadequacy perspective share shared parenting Snarey social stepfamilies stories suggest teen dads teenage fathers tion tive University of Guelph volume well-being women