Changing fatherhood: a comparative study of Sweden, Germany and Japan

ABSTRACT This research is inspired by Michael’s Rush work. In-depth interviews of 30 Swedish, German and Japanese fathers regarding their attitudes towards traditional, modern and ideal images of fatherhood were conducted. Three videos of fathers’ normal daily life relating to their practices of fatherhood, including time spent on housework and child care are shot separately in Stockholm, Stuttgart, and Fukuoka. The following results show that the path of fatherhood in these three countries is shifting away from the traditional role. In Sweden, fatherhood is changing from traditional father to dual carer model. In Germany, fatherhood is transitioning toward a second-mother model. Finally, in Japan, fatherhood is turning toward a struggling model. Three primary factors accelerate the pace of these changes: family-friendly social policies, de-patriarchy family, and increasing individualistic-oriented socio-culture. Furthermore, three main barriers persist against a dual-carer society: hierarchical corporate culture, ‘male-headed’ in public areas and ‘housewife keeping’ in private areas. To conclude, this study suggests that globally, fatherhood keeps its second-mother or struggling status, but with an increasing emphasis on Nordic dual-earner and dual-career crystallizing in Germany and Japan. That means diminishing devoted wife and caring mother and enhancing democratic and involved father, which is also predicted by Rush (2015).