Fathers and the Media: Introduction to the Special Issue

Abstract

Since the 1970s, there has been an increased scholarly interest in fatherhood. There have been fundamental shifts in family life, gender relations, declining wage of male earners, increases in female labor force participation and in men’s involvement as the primary non-maternal care provider. These cultural shifts have been mirrored in popular culture (films, television, music, and literature). This essay examines the culture of fatherhood as portrayed in four types of influential media: television, children’s literature, scholarly journals, and film. Each of the authors uses a unique approach to exploring the culture of fatherhood in each medium.