The Open Family Studies Journal

2014, 6 : 24-30
Published online 2014 December 31. DOI: 10.2174/1874922401406010024
Publisher ID: TOFAMSJ-6-24

Early-Fatherhood in White City, Jabavu, Soweto: A Time-Bound, Contextual Construct

Naledi Selebano and Grace Khunou
University of Johannesburg, Kingsway and University Rds, Auckland Park, South Africa.

ABSTRACT

While young mothers have enjoyed the interests of researchers and policy makers, young fathers’ experiences have only been examined recently. Through a thematic content analysis of interviews with six black young fathers from White City, Jabavu in Soweto, this article argues that early fatherhood should be understood through an examination of how it is lived in the social, political, cultural and economic contexts of particular communities. The data from this study indicate that there are strong ties between the young men’s experiences and the overall community values, history and culture where they experience fatherhood. The article concludes that for appropriate policies and strategies to be implemented where young fathers are concerned, more context specific research should be conducted.

Keywords:

Early fatherhood, socio-economic context, White City Jabavu , young fathers’ experiences.