ABSTRACT

This study explores Middle Eastern men's narratives on how they adapt their fathering to new circumstances during resettlement in Sweden. It is based on individual interviews and diary notes collected over three years. Swedish policies encourage mothers as well as fathers to participate in paid labour and to be involved in household and child-care duties. Migrants who have been granted residency as refugees are entitled to extensive social welfare benefits, but they are also required to participate in language studies, accept trainee positions, and actively search for employment. The results of the present study suggest that the refugee fathers come to share daily chores and childcare with their spouse more equally than prior in their home countries. This new fatherhood is referred to in several ways: as a necessity to make family life work; as positive for the father–child relationship; and, as very time- and energy- consuming. Emerging masculinities and caring masculinities evolve in the analyses, and the results show comprehensive fathering, that is, fatherhood characterized by care, intimacy and love that are the result of hard, straining (reproductive) work that takes place with limited financial and/or cultural resources.

摘要

本研究探讨了中东男性在瑞典重新安置期间如何使父亲适应新环境的叙述。它基于三年来收集的个人访谈和日记记录。瑞典的政策鼓励母亲和父亲参与有偿劳动，并参与家庭和儿童保育职责。获得难民居留权的移民有权享受广泛的社会福利，但他们也需要参加语言学习，接受实习岗位，积极寻找工作。本研究的结果表明，难民父亲与他们的配偶分担日常家务和照顾孩子的机会比以前在本国更为平等。这种新的父亲身份以多种方式被提及：作为使家庭生活正常运转的必要条件；对父子关系积极；而且，非常耗时耗能。新兴男性气质和关怀男性气质在分析中不断发展，结果显示出全面的父亲身份，即以关怀、亲密和爱为特征的父亲身份，是在有限的经济和/或文化条件下进行的艰苦、紧张（生殖）工作的结果资源。