Communicating Fatherhood

Communicating Fatherhood is the first text to focus squarely on communication by and about fathers. This highly readable collection features an engaging mix of research chapters, personal reflections, and rich qualitative explorations of fatherhood as it is depicted in media, cultural traditions, father support programs, and the often-poignant reports of daughters, sons, spouses, and other family members. The amazing diversity of fatherhood is on display, with chapters exploring the experiences of Native American, African American, and Latino dads and their families. The reader will also hear from stay-at-home dads, nonresidential fathers, dads who are sperm donors, adoptive dads, and fathers who have been challenged by addiction, disability, and toxic versions of masculinity.

Although grounded in communication research and theory, Communicating Fatherhood strikes personal and emotional chords that will resonate with student readers and researchers alike. Authors share personal experiences of fatherhood – some heartwarming, and others painful – all of which emphasize the powerful and lifelong influence of "father-speak". The text generates deep insights for readers hoping to be fathers, family members seeking to understand fathers, and researchers studying the role communication has in shaping the many and varied roles played by fathers in families. Committed to tracing the development of fatherhood across the lifespan, Communicating Fatherhood is the perfect text for undergraduate and graduate courses in family communication, personal relationships, lifespan communication, and gender studies.

"In this pioneering book Communicating Fatherhood, the editors have assembled an impressive range of scholarly and practitioner voices. The focus on communication and fathers is unparalleled in the current market and makes an outstanding companion to books focusing on maternal communication. Chapters cover essential topics, such as how father ideals have evolved over time, father-offspring bonds, and influences of traditional and emerging media on fatherhood. The book provides an eclectic and multivocal view of fatherhood, examining the experiences of dads who are Black, Latino, Native American, adoptive, working and stay-at-home, nonresidential, gay, recent immigrants, and dads with disabilities."

—Michelle Miller-Day, Professor, Chapman University

Author: Constructing Motherhood and Fatherhood Across the Lifespan

"Editors Vince Waldron and Tom Socha bring together authors who share research and personal experiences focused on the doing of fatherhood via communication and media, how fathers challenge and change roles and relationships as the lifespan unfolds. Readers will find this book very useful in in their own families and communities."

—Dawn O. Braithwaite, Willa Cather Professor of Communication Studies (Emerita), University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Author: "Communication Matters" blog, Psychology Today

"Waldron and Socha have compiled an impressive collection of essays exploring fatherhood from scientific, historical, educational, and experiential perspectives. Communicating Fatherhood is a must read for anyone seeking to more fully understand the changing landscape of American families."

—Douglas L. Kelley, Professor of Communication (Emeritus), Arizona State University