Working Fathers

The family as an institution has changed significantly across time and place. How people divide labour within and beyond the family unit has been in flux throughout human history. The current model of fatherhood in many Western nations, including Australia, is a modified version of what we usually call the breadwinner model, where one parent is designated the primary earner and the other the primary carer. But where did this model ...

In this episode, we look at more of the pressures that prevent fathers from being active and equal caregivers in their children's lives. In particular, we look at the gender norms that dictate what it means to be a good man, and the social norms that dictate what it means to be a good worker – and ask what this means for fathers’ capacity to be more active caregivers in their children’s lives. We also look at the experiences of men...

How much freedom do fathers have? Do fathers have real choices when it comes to decisions about how to divide their time between paid work and caring for the kids at home? And where do government and organisational policies fit in? One of the major societal changes of the past century has been the rise of female employment, particularly in the peak child rearing.  But over the same period, there has been much less change in men's e...

What’s next for Australian fathers? In this episode, we look at the future of fatherhood. So far, one thing all of our guests seem to agree on is that, for many families, current arrangements aren't working as well as they could. Expectations on men as fathers are expanding, but without much of a lessening of demands from employers. External factors, like climate change, will see an escalation of disasters that will put additional ...