Doctoral Dissertation Research: Redefining Roles of Fatherhood in Low-Income Urban Communities.

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SES-1303228 PI: Mitchell DuneierCo-PI: Aasha AbdillPrinceton UniversityThis dissertation research investigates whether men of low-income urban communities are uncovering the potential benefit of loosening translations of fatherhood. Recent academic attention to fatherhood emphasizes the concept of "new fathering," a modification in the fathering identity which includes a focus on emotional attachment to the child. This trajectory of inquiry leads to a set of motivating research questions which will reveal fathering looks like and feels like to black men and their families while ideologies of manhood, masculinity and fatherhood are rapidly changing. Is embracing fatherhood becoming a more viable option due to the removal of the breadwinner mandate from its definition? If so, what now does being a father entail? How are new ideas of fathering roles communicated and understood within low-income urban communities? How are fathering beliefs and behaviors being impacted? Employing primarily an ethnographic research strategy, with some quantitative components, this research captures the change of fathering beliefs and behaviors in the urban neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn NY. Additionally, research will be conducted at the local Head Start, which has been embedded in the community for 40 years, in order to provide some information on fathering behavior over time.Broader Impact: In addition to the social and structural disadvantages that often operate in low-income urban communities, such as high rates of unemployment and incarceration, local interactions within urban communities may also be influencing the involvement of low-income fathers with their children. This study will investigate how values, beliefs and norms of fatherhood are transmitted within an urban community context. If changes in public ideas of fathering are influencing the beliefs and behaviors of fathers in low-income communities, then a greater understanding of how and in what ways can have significant impacts on practical understanding as well as policy implications. Organizations, including Head Start and schools, may be able to support and take advantage of burgeoning changes in role definitions.