This book offers a broader, more positive picture of African American fathers. Featuring case studies of African-descended fathers, this edited volume brings to life the achievements and challenges of being a black father in America. Leading scholars and practitioners provide unique insight into this understudied population. Short-sighted social policies which do not encourage father involvement are critically examined and the value of father engagement is promoted. The problems associated with the absence of a father are also explored. The second edition features an increased emphasis on: the historical issues confronting African descended fathers the impact of health issues on Black fathers and their children the need for therapeutic interventions to aid in the healing of fathers and their children the impact of an Afrikan-centered fathering approach and the need for research which considers systemic problems confronting African American fathers community focused models that provide new ideas for (re)connecting absent fathers learning tools including reflective questions and a conclusion in each chapter and more theory and research throughout the book. Part I provides a historical overview of African descended fathers including their strengths and shortcomings over the years. Next, contributors share their personal stories including one from a communal father working with underserved youth and two others that highlight the impact of absent fathers. Then, the research on father-daughter relationships is examined including the impact of father absence on daughters and on gender identity. This section concludes with a discussion of serving adolescents in the foster care system. Part II focuses on the importance of a two-parent home, communal fathering, and equalitarian households. Cultural implications and barriers to relationships are also explored. This section concludes with a discussion of the struggles Black men face with role definitions. The book concludes with a discussion of the impact of adoption and health issues on Black fathers and their children, and the need for more effective therapeutic interventions that include a perspective centered in the traditions and cultures of Afrika in learning to become a father. The final chapter offers an intervention model to aid in fatherhood. An ideal supplementary text for courses on fathers and fathering, introduction to the family, parenting, African American families/men, men and masculinity, Black studies, race and ethnic relations, and family issues taught in a variety of departments, the book also appeals to social service providers, policy makers, and clergy who work with community institutions.

The majority of African American children live in homes without their fathers, but the proportion of African American children living in intact, two-parent families has risen significantly since 1995. Black Fathers in Contemporary American Society looks at father absence from two sides, offering an in-depth analysis of how the absence of African American fathers affects their children, their relationships, and society as a whole, while countering the notion that father absence and family fragmentation within the African American community is inevitable. Editors Obie Clayton, Ronald B. Mincy, and David Blankenhorn lead a diverse group of contributors encompassing a range of disciplines and ideological perspectives who all agree that father absence among black families is one of the most pressing social problems today. In part I, the contributors offer possible explanations for the decline in marriage among African American families. William Julius Wilson believes that many men who live in the inner city no longer consider marriage an option because their limited economic prospects do not enable them to provide for a family. Part II considers marriage from an economic perspective, emphasizing that it is in part a wealth-producing institution. Maggie Gallagher points out that married people earn, invest, and save more than single people, and that when marriage rates are low in a community, it is the children who suffer most. In part III, the contributors discuss policies to reduce absentee fatherhood. Wornie Reed demonstrates how public health interventions, such as personal development workshops and work-related skill-building services, can be used to address the causes of fatherlessness. Wade Horn illustrates the positive results achieved by fatherhood programs, especially when held early in a man's life. In the last chapter, Enola Aird notes that from 1995 to 2000, the proportion of African American children living in two-parent, married couple homes rose from 34.8 to 38.9 percent; a significant increase indicating the possible reversal of the long-term shift toward black family fragmentation. Black Fathers in Contemporary American Society provides an in-depth look at a problem affecting millions of children while offering proof that the trend of father absence is not irrevocable.

In 28 chapters and extensive editorial commentary, this book explores the changing roles of fathers -- changes prompted partly by societal shifts and partly by changes in the family and in "traditional" parental roles. Among the topical studies con

Men do not often come for counseling because they are having difficulties with being a father, but many of the presenting problems and reasons for seeking help can be related to the roles and responsibilities of fathering. The dramatic shift in societal expectations of being a father can often leave men confused as they navigate conflicting views, demands, and responsibilities. Counseling Fathers is designed to bridge the gap between fathers and professional helpers. This book provides the mental health practitioners with a guide for working with fathers in therapy, whether the issues of fathering are at the center of the discussions or in the background. The organization of the book speaks to the variety of today's fathers and the issues that they face. Part I provides an historical overview of the fathering movement, a strength-based approach to working with fathers, and an assessment paradigm using gender role conflict theory. Part II takes a cross-cultural approach, with a series of chapters that look at counseling with Latino, Asian, Black, and Caucasian fathers. Part III looks at specific populations of fathers, including first time fathers, teen fathers, stay-at-home fathers, gay fathers, and older fathers. Counseling Fathers provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive resource for family and individual practitioners who work with men who father.

The book is about social, religious, educational and class system in America and throughout the world and more. The book is for adults but can be read by anyone including the youth.

How are men reacting to, perceiving, and behaving in light of the changes in gender roles. Here is an important volume that provides new and interesting reading about contemporary husbands and fathers. Men’s Changing Roles in the Family, offers an overview of the causes and consequences of changes in men’s family roles in recent decades. Experts introduce you to the issues, problems, and methods on the cutting edge of those disciplines that study men in the context of their families. Until now relatively little has been known empirically about men in contemporary families, and even less has been known about husbands and fathers from direct reports of the men themselves. This groundbreaking volume successfully closes this gap in the literature with an examination of the effects that fathers’growing involvement with their children have on their wives and themselves; a clinical assessment of some men’s angry reactions to separation and divorce and those special therapeutic goals and strategies that may help reduce their distress; examinations of the conflicting demands of the work world and the family upon some contemporary husbands and fathers and the negative effects of nonstandard work schedules upon men’s family life; and an examination of factors that make many men unhappy in patriarchal family structures. Men’s Changing Roles in the Family also contributes toward breaking new ground by examining family roles now performed by special groups of men. Finally, this important volume reports empirical findings about men in family-like relationships, illustrating evidence for the unique roles that male caregivers can offer children in day-care centers and reviewing current empirical studies of men’s friendships and their development.

The field of education has been and will continue to be essential to the survival and sustainability of the Black community. Unfortunately, over the past five decades, two major trends have become clearly evident in the Black community: (a) the decline of the academic achievement levels of Black students and (b) the disappearance of Black teachers, particularly Black males. Today, of the 3.5 million teachers in America’s classrooms (AACTE, 2010) only 8% are Black teachers, and approximately 2% of these teachers are Black males (NCES, 2010). Over the past few decades, the Black teaching force in the U.S. has dropped significantly (Lewis, 2006; Lewis, Bonner, Byrd, & James, 2008; Milner & Howard, 2004), and this educational crisis shows no signs of ending in the near future. As the population of Black students in K-12 schools in the U. S. continue to rise—currently over 16% of students in America’s schools are Black (NCES, 2010)—there is an urgent need to increase the presence of Black educators. The overall purpose of this edited volume is to stimulate thought and discussion among diverse audiences (e.g., policymakers, practitioners, and educational researchers) who are concerned about the performance of Black students in our nation’s schools, and to provide evidence-based strategies to expand our nation’s pool of Black teachers. To this end, it is our hope that this book will contribute to the teacher education literature and will inform the teacher education policy and practice debate.

The literature tells us that parental involvement affects academic achievement. However, much of the literature on parental involvement focuses on the involvement of mothers with limited information about the involvement of fathers, especially African American fathers. The parental involvement literature on African American fathers is insufficient compared to their White counterparts. African American fathers do not have a “voice” in the literature on parental involvement. A racial and gender bias exists in the literature on parental involvement that marginalizes the voice of African American fathers. African American Fathers' Involvement in their Children’s Education seeks to understand the relationship that African American fathers have with the education of their children by using Critical Race Theory as a theoretical framework to privilege the "voice" of African American fathers. This text focuses on the contributions that African American fathers make in the lives of their children and families, challenges the master deficient narrative, and humanizes African American fathers. This book purposefully and unapologetically portrays African American fathers as the brilliant, excellent human beings they are.

This book examines a variety of critical issues pertaining to the psychology of men and masculinity and presents successful, evidence-based strategies for treatment. Part 1 focuses on treating men in couples counseling, group work, and career counseling, as well as counseling men about their health. Part 2 explores the intersections of identity for sexual minority men, older men, and fathers, and discusses spiritual work with men in life transitions. Part 3 addresses the concerns of men in the military, prevention of sexual violence, and treating men with addictions and trauma-related issues. Part 4 provides the specific clinical frames of female counselors using relational–cultural theory with men, and examines using motivational and masculine-sensitive therapy with men. Examples and vignettes throughout the text provide clinical relevance, and reflective questions in each chapter encourage readers to explore their own biases and ideas about working with men. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on wiley.com. *To purchase print copies, please visit the ACA website here. *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to publications@counseling.org