“I Share, I’m Not a Slob!”: Involved Fatherhood, Social Inequality, and Symbolic Distinction
Contemporary fatherhood norms in France, as in many countries, emphasize men’s involvement and emotional closeness with their children, in addition to their traditional role as financial providers. While research has documented how the gender gap in childcare involvement has evolved with the spread of these new norms, less attention has been paid to the nuances in paternal practices among men from different social classes. How do men receive and apply contemporary fatherhood norms depending on their socioeconomic status? How do they perceive the parenting styles of other men?
This study argues that, just like cultural tastes and practices (Bourdieu, 1979), discourses and practices surrounding fatherhood are socially situated and socially hierarchized. The way men engage with their children (and whether or not this involvement is made visible) draws "symbolic boundaries" (Lamont, 1992) against social categories with which they do not wish to be associated.
Based on 90 repeated interviews with 32 resident fathers from diverse social backgrounds, this research offers valuable insights into paternal practices during early childhood across different social groups. Participants became fathers for the first time between 2019 and 2021, and interviews were conducted shortly before the birth, shortly after, and 18 months later.
The results show that the injunction to “be there” is widespread yet internalized differently by fathers depending on the socioeconomic characteristics of their family. Some fathers prioritize spending a lot of time playing with the child, others focus on sharing care tasks, etc. Ultimately, I identify four distinct styles of fathering, highlighting how the appearance of egalitarianism in fatherhood contributes to social distinction among upper-middle-class men.