Across the political spectrum, unwed fatherhood is denounced as one of the leading social problems of today. Doing the Best I Can is a strikingly rich, paradigm-shifting look at fatherhood among inner-city men often dismissed as “deadbeat dads.” Kathryn Edin and Timothy J. Nelson examine how couples in challenging straits come together and get pregnant so quickly—without planning. The authors chronicle the high hopes for forging lasting family bonds that pregnancy inspires, and pinpoint the fatal flaws that often lead to the relationship’s demise. They offer keen insight into a radical…
This chapter explores the influence of race and ethnicity as a factor for fathers of color. It discusses issues affecting fathers of color in America today, similarities and differences among fathers of color, contributions of Latino and African American fathers in the lives of their children, and potential hurdles some fathers of color may face in being involved fathers. Suggestions to help others understand and appreciate the contributions made by fathers of color are presented. 70 references.
This book explores barriers facing disadvantaged young men and policies that can be implemented to improve the educational and employment opportunities available to disconnected young men, particularly African American and Hispanic young men. It specifically focuses on the following areas of policy: enhancing education, training, and employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth by focusing on individual policy components and on building these components into community systems; improving the incentives of less-skilled young workers to accept employment by raising minimum wages or…
This book analyzes how the absence of African American fathers affects their children, their relationships, and society as a whole, while countering the notion that father absence and family fragmentation within the African American community is inevitable. It begins by offering possible explanations for the decline in marriage among African American families, including the limited economic prospects of many men who live in the inner city that impacts their ability to provide for a family. The book then considers marriage from an economic perspective, emphasizing that it is a wealth-producing…
Qualitative research has provided valuable insights into the relationships between low income, urban, African American men and their children. This chapter summarizes findings from classic and recent studies about the impact of neighborhood characteristics, negotiations between fathers and mothers and their extended families, the social construct of fathers and mothers, and the variety of father figures who take responsibility for paternal tasks. Conducted by researchers in the fields of anthropology, education, human development, and sociology, the studies used techniques such as open-ended…
Despite the increase in the number of children born to unwed White mothers, social policies and attitudes about female-headed households usually depict the family structure as a Black issue. Public discourse continues to view the matriarchal family as abnormal and the cause of many problems in the Black community, such as criminal behavior and drug abuse. Black men are considered to be unsuitable role models and unable to lead their families, a belief that White Americans have maintained since the days of slavery. However, these criticisms of Black fathers distract attention from the social…
