FATHERHOOD: AN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY, 1919-2019

Abstract

This project aims to transform understandings of Australian families across the past century through a comprehensive history of Australian fatherhood. Fathers are central to pressing concerns in contemporary Australia. Through analysis of oral history and documentary archives, the project seeks to illuminate factors shaping men’s experience of fatherhood and how fathers from diverse backgrounds, including migrant and indigenous dads, have negotiated their role in changing circumstances. The outcomes will extend and enrich Australian and international scholarship in histories of the family, emotions and cultural memory. Project findings are anticipated to impact contemporary Australian family..