Exploring the Absent/Present Dilemma: Black Fathers, Family Relationships, and Social Capital in Britain

Tracey Reynolds
Additional contact information
Tracey Reynolds: Families and Social Capital Research Group, London South Bank University, United Kingdom

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2009, vol. 624, issue 1, 12-28

Abstract: Stereotypes show nonresident black fathers as absentee parents. In this article, the author presents a critique of the various ways the literature constructs nonresident black fathers as absent from parenting and family relationships. Drawing on the empirical data collected from two qualitative studies conducted in Britain, this article illustrates that contrary to popular belief, nonresident black fathers are active participants in their children's lives. Social capital is an important conceptual tool in highlighting the networks and resources available to these fathers in their parenting practices. These men's fathering experiences are also informed by cultural and historical factors and intersecting identities of race, ethnicity, class, and gender. The article concludes by making explicit the different ways in which family policy can develop more inclusive strategies to support nonresident black fathers in their paternal role.

Keywords: nonresident; black fathers; absence; social capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0002716209334440 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:anname:v:624:y:2009:i:1:p:12-28

DOI: 10.1177/0002716209334440

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
Bibliographic data for series maintained by SAGE Publications ().