Fathers, Families, and Society: A Two-Decade Systematic Literature Review on the Contexts and Consequences of Paternity and Parental Leave for Fathers

Stéfanie André (), Nola Cammu and Eline Meuleman
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Stéfanie André: Department of Public Administration, Nijmegen School of Management, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Nola Cammu: Department of Public Administration, Nijmegen School of Management, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Eline Meuleman: Health Sciences, VU Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-25

Abstract: This systematic literature review assesses two decades of the literature on paternity and parental leave for fathers. We developed a conceptual framework that broadens the understanding of why fathers (do not) use paternity and/or parental leave, and the outcomes of men’s leave uptake for fathers, families, and society. Drawing on Bourdieu’s social reproduction theory, we use social, economic, and cultural capital as sensitizing concepts in our analysis. Regarding contextual circumstances , paternity and parental leave most often appear to be used by fathers with higher levels of economic, cultural, and social capital, and with a stronger father identity. With regard to consequences of taking leave, the literature suggests that fathers are not only affected at the micro level (e.g., in their paternal involvement) but also at the meso level (relationship with partner and children) with (potential) consequences at the societal level. We welcome family researchers to further develop and test our conceptual framework when studying the contexts and consequences of paternity leave and parental leave for fathers.

Keywords: paternity leave; parental leave; fathers; family policy; contexts; consequences; conceptual model of leave taking; family leave (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:3:p:168-:d:1609201

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