Paternal masculinities in early fatherhood: dominant and counter narratives by Finnish first-time fathers

In this article, we seek to extend understanding of the role of gender in early fatherhood by examining narratives of paternal masculinities, that is, the social and cultural constructions of gendered practices and conventions produced by men on their roles as male parents. The data comprised interviews with 44 Finnish first-time fathers (aged 20-42 years) living in a heterosexual relationship. The narrative of the “decent father,” was identified as the dominant narrative of paternal masculinity in early fatherhood. Although the narrative was characterized by some important gendered differences, it was also in line with the well-known concept of the “new father.” Two counter narratives, la…

Fathers’ narratives on support and agency : a case study of fathers in a Finnish child welfare NGO

In Finland, one of the Nordic countries, shared parenting is widely supported through, e.g. family policies and legislation. This is also evident in daily parental practices, as fathers’ share in childcare has increased notably since the late 1980s. Unfortunately, this is not the whole picture of Finnish and Nordic fatherhood: practitioners in child welfare also encounter many fathers with various problems in parenting and life management. In this article, we examine the narratives of fathers who have sought and received support from a Finnish nationwide child welfare NGO. Our research question is: What types of narratives on seeking and receiving support and on their agency do fathers prod…

Isyyteen sitoutuminen on kaikkien etu

Kasvatusoptimisti johtajana: "Kaiken takana on luottamus"

Family time negotiations in the context of non-standard work schedules

Present-day parenting is centred round the question of time, especially in the case of working parents. This study analysed negotiations over time in families where one or both parents work non-standard schedules, that is, during evenings, nights and weekends. We asked what aspects of time are negotiable and with whom, and who in the family bears the ultimate responsibility for these negotiations. The analysis was based on interviews with 47 people conducted in 2013 in Finland. The findings indicated that time negotiations within the family concerned everyday routines and schedules, social life and the family‗s philosophy. Family life and schedules in the context of non-standard schedules w…

Kirjavaa ja eriarvoistavaa : esiopetusikäisen hoito, kasvatus ja opetus

Poikien, isien ja isoisien uskomuksia kasvatuksesta

”Kodittomasta nististä vastuulliseksi perheenisäksi” : isyys kriisin varjossa

Finnish Mothers’ and Fathers’ Constructions of and Emotions in Their Daily Lives

This article focuses on parents’ construction of and emotions in their everyday lives. The study brings into focus the meanings in the foreground of everyday life, while also revealing new insights into cultural beliefs and prejudices. Interviews were conducted with five nuclear and four divorced families, and each participant (N = 18) was interviewed twice. The second interview was a photo-narrative interview, for which each participant took photographs pertaining to their daily life. Content and thematic analysis were applied to the data. Three main categories of everyday life emerged from the data: family daily life, couples’ daily life, and one’s own daily life. The importance of and pl…

Photo-narrative processes with children and young people

This article focuses on the photo-narrative research process with children and young people. The photo-narrative method invites children and young people to answer research questions by first taking photographs and then talking to the researcher about them. We reflect critically on our own photo-narrative study by asking such questions as: In what ways can the photo-narrative method be seen as a participative method? How were the various power relations between the child and the researcher actualized? What methodological and ethical challenges did we encounter during the research process? The study data were photographs and narratives by eight children and young people (aged 4 to 15 years),…

Kumman vuoro? Kotityön ja vanhemmuuden jakamiselle annetut perustelut epätyypillisen työajan perheissä

Aiemman tutkimuksen mukaan epätyypillinen työaika haastaa sukupuolten työnjaolle annettuja perusteluja, koska näissä perheissä on usein tilanteita, jolloin toinen vanhemmista kantaa yksin vastuuta kodista ja lapsista toisen ollessa töissä. Tarkastelemme tässä tutkimuksessa, millaisia perusteluita suomalaiset, epätyypillistä työaikaa tekevät vanhemmat antavat kotityön ja vanhemmuuden jakamiselle perheessään. Hyödynsimme epätyypillistä työaikaa tekevien vanhempien haastatteluiden (n=34) analyysissa aiemmassa tutkimuksessa löydettyjä sukupuolten työnjaon seli- tysmalleja sekä kategoria-analyysia. Löysimme viisi työnjaon perhetyyppiä: Naishoivaajien perheissä äidit perustelivat sukupuolittunutt…

Isäksi tulon tarinat, tunteet ja toimijuus

Isänä vankilassa

Esittelemme käynnissä olevan tutkimuksemme ensimmäisiä havaintoja vankilassa olevien isien haastatteluista. Mitä isyys merkitsee näille miehille ja miten se näkyy miesten tulevaisuutta ja vapautumista koskevissa pohdinnoissa? nonPeerReviewed