"But at Least He's Trying": Exploring Masculinity, Fatherhood, and Social Welfare for Men Involved in a Guaranteed Income Pilot Alexander D Bervik

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Bervik, Alexander D., author.

Contributor:

University of Pennsylvania. Social Welfare., degree granting institution.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

0452.

0501.

0630.

0733.

Local Subjects:

0452.

0501.

0630.

0733.

Physical Description:

1 electronic resource (137 pages)

Contained In:

Dissertations Abstracts International 87-07A

Place of Publication:

Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 2025

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Low-income, nonresident fathers in the United States face persistent uncertainty and marginalization, struggling to earn a livable wage in the labor market and acquire the necessary resources to support themselves and their children. Because dominant cultural ideals of manhood emphasize breadwinning and provision, fathers who cannot meet these economic expectations are often unfairly portrayed as deadbeat dads by the media, policymakers, and even their own families, a stigmatization perpetuated by structural racism and classism. As a consequence of these structures outside of their control, many fathers struggle to fulfill their ideal vision of fatherhood and masculinity. Moreover, they, as low-income men who would benefit from public assistance, struggle to navigate a welfare system that leaves them feeling forgotten, seeking recognition for their plight, and wishing for more comprehensive help. Using the theoretical frameworks of hegemonic masculinity (Connell, 2005) and the work/family ethic (Abramowitz, 2017), this dissertation examines and interprets the narratives and lived experiences of twenty-three fathers participating in a guaranteed income pilot in Columbia, South Carolina. Overwhelmingly, fathers redefine successful masculinity, distancing it from outcomes, and reconceptualizing it through effort. As long as they are trying, demonstrated through presence in their children's lives, maintaining a growth mindset, and a willingness to sacrifice for their children, they are achieving the earned and constructed goal of manhood. Through narrative analysis, this study finds that fathers reframed guaranteed income, designed as unconditional and given simply for being human, as conditional upon being the type of man who continuously tries. These findings reveal how fathers use GI as a site to renegotiate masculinity under structural constraint, illustrating the tension inherent in their lives. By centering fathers' own stories, this research deepens understandings of how masculinity is co-constructed and offers insights into how future approaches to welfare and guaranteed income might support more expansive and equitable forms of masculinity and fatherhood

Notes:

Advisors: Castro, Amy Committee members: Gonzales, Roberto G.; Cnaan, Ram; Johnson , Waldo E., Jr.

Source: Dissertations Abstracts International, Volume: 87-07, Section: A.

Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania 2025

Vendor supplied data

Local Notes:

School code: 0175

ISBN:

9798276001814

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license