Fathers and Divorce

In this ethnographic study, Terry Arendell gives voice to a group of divorced fathers on topics including: their rights as fathers; their relationship with former spouses; the injustices perpetrated by the ex-spouse and the legal system; the inherent differences between men and women; and the fractured nature of the post-divorce family. The author differentiates between

the strategies adopted by traditionalist divorced fathers and innovative ones, and suggests policy recommendations informed by this masculinist discourse.

Divorce. A difficult process at best, its impact will clearly be felt by both participants; why, then, has so little research been directed toward men′s experiences of this traumatic event? Terry Arendell′s incisive account surveys the emotional, legal, and financial elements of divorce as they affect men. Covering topics from father′s rights and noncustodial parenting to relationships with former spouses, the author considers the `masculinist discourse of divorce′ from a feminist perspective. The implications of gender in defining legal and social responses to divorce are also explored, revealing both the traditionalist and innovative strategies that serve as the basis for Arendell′s well-founded policy recommendations. Complementing her earlier work Mothers and Divorce, this provocative volume offers a balanced and essential view for students and professionals in gender studies, marriage and family, sociology, social work, and communications. "I am impressed with Arendell′s extensive command of feminist theory, her nuanced familiarity with empirical studies on divorced parenting, and most importantly, her own "innovative" research. I especially find her juxtaposition of empirical findings against fathers′ testimonies insightful. I highly recommend Fathers and Divorce to both scholarly and lay readers concerned with children′s well-being, gender, marriage, and the family." --American Journal of Sociology "Fathers and Divorce will put Terry Arendell at the forefront of the study of divorce. Arendell obtained remarkable data from the men she interviewed on how they negotiate the divorce process with ex-wives for child support, custody, and visitation. These data are unique, and her analysis of the ′masculinist′ discourse of divorce is groundbreaking. In the future, no one will be able to look at fathers after divorce without taking her work into account. This book will be read widely among sociologists of gender and the family and will also be cited by many outside sociology in public policy fields and the law." --Demie Kurz, Co-Director of Women′s Studies, University of Pennsylvania "Fathers and Divorce takes us inside fathers′ experiences of divorce, and even though we may not like what we see, the book provides essential information for scholars and practitioners who want to make sense of the complexities of modern divorce." --Life Course