ABSTRACT
In this introductory chapter we map out some of the terrain with regard to fathers who provide primary care to their children. We first consider what little is known about why men have children, before turning to consider how men come to be primary caregivers and the ways in which they navigate the embodied aspects of caregiving. We then turn to engage with debates over caregiving and masculinity, arguing that to date formulations of masculinity in the context of caregiving have not adequately questioned issues of gender and care. In order to provide a framework for the book we then consider how the media both shapes and in turn is shaped by public opinion, specifically with regard to gender and care. We conclude the chapter by reiterating our core areas of interest for this book, namely the deconstruction and potential reconstruction of how men who provide primary care for their children are represented, and the implications of this for families.
