Introducing dadness

Blackwell, Ian (2024) Introducing dadness. Journal of Family Studies. pp. 1-26. ISSN 1839-3543

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Abstract

Based on interviews and a focus group with fathersFootnote1 who attended four dads’ groups in the South of England, this paper introduces the concept of ‘dadness’. Dadness is in circulation in the public sphere and has been noted in a handful of published sources, yet it has not received academic attention. This article conceptualizes ‘dadness’ and presents it as a useful concept within contemporary fatherhood and family studies, as well as noting the term’s accessibility. The term dadness is understood by men in this study as combining their individual fathering identity and their values about the fathering role, with actual day-to-day fathering practices. Interpretation of the data infers eight aspects of dadness that draw together existing conceptualizations of fathering and fatherhood in terms of accessibility, engagement and responsibility; ‘active fathering’; warmth, positive engagement activities, decision-making, responsiveness, care; intimacy; and embodiment. Dadness describes both how men think about fatherhood and enact their fathering practices, and is accessible (it is a term men readily understand and feel able to use). This article invites a debate about whether the concept of dadness has a wider potential outside of the specific context of a small-scale study in southern England.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	** From Crossref journal articles via Jisc Publications Router ** History: received 14-03-2023; accepted 01-07-2024; epub 15-07-2024; issued 15-07-2024; published 15-07-2024.
Keywords:	Fatherhood, Identity, Dadness, Parenting, Dad
SWORD Depositor:	JISCRouter
Depositing User:	JISCRouter
Date Deposited:	31 Jul 2024 10:26
Last Modified:	31 Jul 2024 10:26
URI:	https://marjon.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17858

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