Father-Child (dis)connections: Expectations and Practices of Young un(der)employed Fathers in Johannesburg

Abstract

Despite a growing body of research on fathers and fatherhood in South Africa, we know relatively little about un(der)employed Black fathers’ experiences, perspectives and patterns of involvement in their children’s lives. This article uses Johnson-Hanks’ concept of ‘vital conjunctures’ to examine the divergent ways in which young Black men practice fatherhood under conditions of profound economic uncertainty. Three modes of father-child (dis)connections are presented to show how different patterns of paternal involvement are steered by men’s economic conditions, the complex relational dynamics they occupy, as well as shifting cultural expectations and gender norms. The article shows how the quality of men’s relationships with the mothers of their children plays an important role in differentiating fatherhood practices. Ultimately, this article argues that being a respectable father in conditions of economic uncertainty is a complex and convoluted endeavour involving intense negotiation and improvisation.