Fathering in India: Images and Realities

This book covers the underexplored subject of ‘fathering’ in India. It delves into the shared aspirations of men in India to nurture their children in sensitively attuned ways within the culturally prescriptive context that governs men’s roles as providers and caregivers. This work is based on over two decades of intensive research in India on how different groups construct and experience fatherhood and fathering under changing circumstances. It unmasks the heterogeneity that exists within fathering in India through conversations with fathers across diverse contexts—in privileged economic situations and those in difficult home and family circumstances, having children with disability, single-parent fathers and fathers in the military. A separate section discusses fathering daughters and shared parenting. Images and role models in fathering are brought alive through analysis of Hindi films, the media, children’s literature and classical literature. The conceptual analysis moves beyond the power and control dimensions commonly used to describe Indian men and fathers, to highlight their resilience, adaptability, positive involvement and developmental trajectories. This volume is for scholars, researchers and practitioners in developmental psychology, human development and family science, sociology, early childhood education and psychiatry, pediatrics, community medicine and allied fields.

Table of Contents:
Part 1: CONCEPTS AND PERSPECTIVES.- 1. Setting the Scene: The Need for Focus on Fathers and Fathering Rajalakshmi Sriram.- 2. A Global Perspective on Fathering Rajalakshmi Sriram. 3 Men as Fathers: An Indian Perspective Rajalakshmi Sriram.- Part 2: FATHERING IN URBAN MIDDLE CLASS: EMERGING REALITIES.- 4. Nature and Extent of Father’s Involvement: Evidence from Western India Rajalakshmi Sriram,. Antra Verma, Shaffaq Mattu, Gurpreet Sandhu- Amrita Singh.- 5. Flavours of Fathering In The Indian Capital: Insights From A Qualitative Study Nimisha Kumar. 6. Project “Fathering”: First-Time Fathers Talk About Parenting in A Global Economy Rajalakshmi Sriram.- 7. Children’s Narratives on The Father-Child Relations Jass Harpreet Kaur.- 8. Fathering amidst the call of Duty: Children’s Experiences in Military Families Rajalakshmi Sriram, Rituparna Sarkar.- 9. My Child Transformed Me: Reflections of Involved Fathers Arshdeep Kaur.- Part 3: FATHERING: REFLECTIONS IN INDIAN MEDIA.- 10. Dads in Ads: Representation of Fathers in Hindi TV Commercials Rajalakshmi Sriram, Jayana Padalia.- 11. Pitaji, Papa and Paa: Reflections of Fathering in Hindi Movies Manjari Shah, Dharti Takwani, Ms.Pooja Sharma, Rajalakshmi Sriram.- 12. Mirroring Fathers for Children: A Content Analysis of English And Marathi Picture Stories Prachee Joeg, Sneha Mokashi, Rajalakshmi Sriram.- Part 4: FATHERING: VIEWED FROM A GENDER LENS.- 13. Are Fathers Gender Equal? Experiences of Educated Daughters Ruchi Singh, Tarjeet Kaur Ahluwalia, Rajalakshmi Sriram.- 14. You Showed Me the Ways of The World: Daughters Essays on their Fathers Prachee Joeg, Rajalakshmi Sriram.- 15. Sharing inCaring: Equations Between the Father and Mother Rajalakshmi Sriram.- Part 5: FATHERING IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.- 17. Fathers and Child Education in Tribal Odisha: Reflections of Commitment Amidst Constraints Vini Gupta, Anubha Rajesh, Shefali Pai-Samant, Pallavi Gupta. 18. Father’s Involvement with Young Children in Rural Orissa:  As Mothers See It Rekha Sharma Sen, Zubair Meenai.- 18. Hope and Commitment: Challenges of Fathering Sick Children Rajalakshmi Sriram.19 Trials and Triumphs of Parenting: Practitioners Look at The Experience of Fathers in Raising Children with Special Needs Sudipta Roy, Prachee Joeg, Shruti Bhargava.- 20. ‘New Age’ Fathering and Trysts with Faith Jass Harpreet Kaur.- 21. The Three ‘C’s of Single Fathering: Commitment, Constraints and Challenges Rajalakshmi Sriram.- 22. Summing Up the Evidence: FinalReflections Rajalakshmi Sriram.  

About the Author :
Rajalakshmi Sriram, Ph.D is former Professor, and Head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Maharaja Sayajirao University, a well-known center for advanced studies in Baroda, India.  In her tenure as Professor Emeritus, she continues to exercise the academic rigor and professionalism that has been the hallmark of her career. Dr. Sriram has played an active role in advancing cultural perspectives through her commitment to both fundamental and applied research, that has led to the enriching of the discipline, as well as quality of life for people and families. She has published widely, and has been an integral part of course design committees, as well as advisory, advocacy and editorial panels on gender, family, parenting and early childhood at regional, national and international levels. Significantly, she has recently published a two-volume resource book titled “Engaging in Social Interventions” – one volume each for learners and mentors. She continues to work as a consultant in the field, and volunteers her time to ‘Service Space’, a global endeavor connecting the transformation of the inner self with enabling transformative social change. Among her many academic honors, Dr. Sriram was awarded the Shastri Indo Canadian Research Fellowship for research in Canada. She was a delegate to the International Fatherhood Summit held at Oxford, UK in 2003 to prepare a Fatherhood Policy document for the United Nations. Her wide ranging international exposure through academic collaborations and conferences enable her to look at the emic in light of global debates and theoretical perspectives, which is also a unique feature of this work.