Трагање ѕа собом у приватној сфери – ново очинство као нови простор израза за мушкарце
ASSERTING ONESELF IN THE PRIVATE SPHERE – NEW FATHERHOOD AS MEN’S NEW ARENA

Author(s): Dragan T. Stanojević
Subject(s): Gender Studies, Sociology
Published by: Институт друштвених наука
Keywords: new fatherhood; masculinity; undoing gender
Summary/Abstract: In this paper we will analyse the narratives of fathers whose parenting style is described as “new fatherhood”. To that end, we will seek to answer the following two guiding questions: 1. Which aspects of gender roles, identities and practices are essential to creating a man’s identity? 2. Which areas within the family sphere are potentially conducive to the evolution of gender neutral practices? Most of the interviewed fathers maintain that there should be no gender­based divisions in parenting and household duties and that, in their particular cases, there really are none. This process opens the space for creating and expanding a neutral area where certain activities such as cooking, cleaning, dressing the child etc. become purely technical and devoid of gender symbolism. However, claiming one’s right to be present in the private sphere, establishing a fundamental relationship with a child, as well as asserting the legitimacy of male parenting competences, raises the issue of a potential rivalry within this sphere, a rivalry that is primarily determined by gender boundaries. The delegitimization of the private area as a distinctively female area can be an act of micro­political power, especially if it does not coincide with the delegitimization of other patriarchal roles attributed to men. Therefore, what appears to be undoing gender in the private sphere may actually be new gender positioning. The equalization of men’s and women’s position in the labour market and the absence of guarantees that men will be the primary breadwinners causes a number of men to change their attitudes towards the professional life and to find identity anchors elsewhere – inside their homes.

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