Strategizing for gender change – The micro-politics of father’s networks promoting father-friendliness within organizations

Abstract

This paper critically analyses the strategies used by fathers' networks in workplaces to advocate for fathers' interests and promote father-friendly cultures and practices. Established in several knowledge-intensive organizations in Germany, these networks represent an emergent type of diversity network by addressing the gendered nature of work-care reconciliation practices and strengthening organizational acceptance of working fathers as care-givers. We contribute to critical studies on diversity networks by illustrating how the interplay of power, privilege and marginalization shapes the micro-politics of change within these networks. Based on a case study of one fathers’ network, we demonstrate how unique layers of privilege- where managerial power is closely tied to the privilege of high-status identity as white men and hegemonic masculinity- enables the fathers’ network board to use a distinctive combination of power forms to advocate for the marginalized position of involved fathers in organizations. Our findings show that advocating for involved fatherhood from a position of power and privilege enables a unique set of micro-political strategies: (I) Strategic topic positioning; (II) Positioning of the network as key partners for achieving organizational goals; (III) Taking ownership of the father-friendliness policy agenda.