Refugee Fathers: Negotiating Fatherhood during Resettlement

The rise of globalization, visible through the increase of international mobility and advances in communication and information technology, has had a significant impact on families. Currently, the analysis of globalization has focused almost exclusively on the macro level impacts, especially on politics and economics. There has been a dearth of research focused on the micro level impacts on globalization victims, such as refugee and forcibly displaced families.  Moreover, much of the research examining refugee and forcibly displaced families has been predominantly focused on mothers and children, failing to incorporate fathers as important within the family system. This gap within the research is concerning due to the changing trends of family structure around the world. Across the globe, traditional gender roles are being challenged as fathers take a more active role within the family and mothers are working more outside of the household. The scant research that does examine fathers within the context of forced migration has found that fathers hold unique values and beliefs about fatherhood in relation to distinct aspirations they hold for their children, their interactions with their children, as well as how they negotiate their roles within the family in relation to their partner. Furthermore, many of these values and beliefs are put in flux due to post migration challenges, such as unemployment, lack of social supports, racism, social isolation, and role changes. The purpose of this paper is to critically review the existing literature on fatherhood within the context of forced migration and refugee resettlement, to discuss its limitations, and to bring forth the implications for future research and policy development.