Sociology/Psychology: Contemporary Fathers – Experiences, Expectations & Wellbeing With Professor Paul Hodkinson From University of Surrey

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In this Sociology/Psychology session, Professor Paul Hodkinson, a leading academic from the Department of Sociology at University of Surrey, will run an interactive talk for students on the Role & Impact of the Father.

What involvement do contemporary fathers have in caring and parenting? How does becoming a father affect men’s life, identity and wellbeing? What kind of social expectations do fathers encounter, and what kind of challenges do these create?

In this talk we examine the role and experience of fathers and the way in which they are positioned by society.  Against the context of shifting understandings of men, but ongoing gender barriers in the home and workplace, we examine what has and hasn’t changed with respect to fathers’ involvement in parenting their children, and some of the difficulties that can be experienced by those who do take on extensive caregiving roles.

We will also explore what the experience of becoming a parent can be like for fathers, and the ways in which expectations on men and fathers can contribute to wellbeing struggles during or after the process of having a baby.

The session will develop thinking, skills and approaches to support students in their Sociology/Psychology studies and future aspirations.

Lecturer Profile: Professor Paul Hodkinson

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. This means that sessions will continue irrespective of possible school closures.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: Year 12 & 13 students (and equivalent) studying, or with a possible interest in studying, Sociology/Psychology and related disciplines. Student groups as well as students and teachers joining individually are very welcome.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the topic in advance and questions they have. Students can also think about questions about studying at university level.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Zoom and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via a microphone and/or typed comments and questions. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:

Register here