Nature and extent of a father’s involvement: Research evidence from western India

Abstract

In this article the author attempts to explore what fathers do for their children. The chapter draws its data from a sample of urban Hindu middle-class Gujarati families from Baroda city, based on a series of eight studies, conducted between the years 2001 and 2008, and some recent data from published works of fathering in Mumbai, Rajasthan and Kashmir. The predominant sample is from families with school-going children. The data are integrated to illuminate the extent of a father’s involvement and what fathers do in their endeavour to provide for their children and create opportunities for them, nurture and guide them, and establish strong relationships with them. The paper pays attention to the father’s reasons for involvement, their level of satisfaction and the emotions that emerge during the process of fathering. The authors make an attempt to look at any existing variations based on family type, gender and age of children. The paper concludes by highlighting the patterns of a father’s involvement in an urban context, highlighting a father’s contributions to his children’s lives.