Blogs can be
analysed as a tool for information, identity, and building and maintaining
relationships. This study examines the phenomenon of
“daddy blogs” and aims to identify the construction of masculinity and
fatherhood in these blogs. The paper presents results of the qualitative
research on the most popular parental blogs, written by men from Poland,
United Kingdom, and Turkey (three
from each country). Study sample contains 90 blog posts, which
have been analysed qualitatively using MAXQDA Software.
As the result of
the study, three common patterns of constructing/expressing manhood and
fatherhood have been found. Firstly, manhood and fatherhood are presented
in the wider, social context. In the blog posts, the role of a father in
society, as well as gender norms are negotiated. Secondly, fatherhood is
presented in the relations to children and duties
regarding bringing them up, with visible differences in describing
father – daughter and father – son relations. The authors
often write about health, children’s development, psychology, bullying and
cyber-bullying, which can be understood as motivation to share information
rather than just express themselves. Lastly, manhood and fatherhood are
presented from the perspective of an individual, which is mostly
expressed in texts about self-development, happiness and
wellbeing. The most common motives in these
categories were: the role of a family and relationships in
life, life-work balance, time management, and spending
quality time with family. These three perspectives complement
each other, creating a complex construction of a man and a father, balancing
between traditional and modern roles.
Primary Language | English |
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Journal Section | Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | December 28, 2019 |
Acceptance Date | September 24, 2019 |
Published in Issue | Year 2019Issue: 31 |