Suppose ... We Listen to Fathers of Children With Disabilities

• In Event: Centering Parents' Advocacy in Education Research With Multiply Marginalized Children

Abstract

In the past literature concerning families with disabled children mainly investigated family perspectives, in collaboration with mothers. Fathers were not involved. But there are signs that changes are taking place. More articles and chapters can be found, which bring in the situation of fathers with disabled children.
Doucet asserts that fathers and mothers are embodied subjects and that “bodies matter”. These bodies are in a constant ‘state of flux’ given the multiplicity of voices that surround them and give rise to considerable tension and contradictions.

In this paper we meet the challenge to look at this ‘becoming-fathers’, relying on conversations with 6 fathers.

We explored the question: what can we learn from fathers who do not conform to the archetype?

Authors

• Geert Van Hove, Ghent University
  Presenting Author

• Elisabeth De Schauwer, Ghent University
  Presenting Author