Few societal institutions are as vital yet as overlooked as fatherhood. The moral, economic, and spiritual implications of engaged fatherhood are profound, yet modern policy, legal structures, and cultural narratives often fail to recognize its essential role in human flourishing. Unfortunately, the decline of fatherhood—whether through structural barriers, cultural narratives that marginalize paternal influence, or legal structures that disincentivize engagement—has contributed to many of the social crises we face today: from economic instability to declining educational outcomes and increasing social fragmentation.
The following academic studies each contribute to an emerging body of research that challenges prevailing assumptions about fatherhood, particularly in its legal, theological, and sociological dimensions. June Carbone and Clare Huntington examine how family law and economic structures have weakened paternal influence, leaving many men, especially those without college degrees, alienated from their children. Their study underscores the need for reforms that would encourage father involvement rather than penalize it. Fazel E. Freeks, writing from a theological perspective, explores how faith-based interventions and moral formation can address father absence, gender-based violence, and the erosion of family structures.
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