Exploring fatherhood diversity: Implications for conceptualizing father involvement

Our analysis, grounded in a social constructionist perspective, explores th e theoretical and political complexities facing researchers and policymaker s as they attempt to conceptualize, study, and promote fathers' involvement with their children. Taking into account the growing diversity of life cou rse and residency patterns for men and children today, we stress how the de finition of fatherhood and conceptualization of paternal involvement are in terwoven. As our starting point, we highlight how diverse stakeholders cons truct differing images and types of fatherhood during an era when men are " doing fatherhood" in a wide range of contexts. Next, we explore issues asso ciated with a broad conceptualization of father involvement, influence, and motivation with an eye toward fatherhood diversity. We then consider how s everal family processes are implicated in the way men develop, negotiate, a nd sustain their rights, privileges, and obligations as fathers in differen t types of family structures. We conclude by suggesting how our treatment o f these issues can guide future research an fatherhood.