The Developing Father: Emerging Roles in Contemporary Society

No longer can it be assumed that women are better equipped than men to raise children. Societal changes over the past few decades have broadened the range of acceptable behavior for both sexes, and proficiency in tasks of parenthood is now considered to be independent of gender. In keeping with this trend, investigators have increasingly focused on the role of the father as a primary care giver within the family. Previously neglected by researchers, fathers are now being studies to determine what part they play in the development of their children and, in turn, how this interaction affects their own development.

In this volume, the authors provide a comprehensive view of contemporary fathers, both from the perspective of current research and through personal accounts of men describing their own parenting experiences. The result is a theoretically sophisticated text with a human dimension often absent from scholarly studies of the family.

The first section provides an overview of different conceptualizations of fatherhood, including a review of life-span and family systems theory. From this theoretical base, the second section goes on to describe the roles of male parents in the context of today's society. Covering such topics as stepfathers, single fathers, gay fathers, teenage fathers, and fathers of disabled children, each chapter contains a comprehensive list of resources available to fathers, as well as a practical list of suggestions for the professional who work with them.

Designed as a practical resource for students and professionals in the human services, this unique book also serves as a supplementary text in college and graduate courses in social work, education, child and family development, gender studies, counseling, and nursing. Readable and comprehensive, THE DEVELOPING FATHER is indispensable as a solid reference work that also provides and experiential view of the emerging role of fathers in our families and society.