Occupying Masculinities: Fathering in the Palestinian Territories

Background and Purpose

Under occupation, Palestinians face a range of challenges such as poverty, lack of mobility, decreased access to social and health services, and violence. Fathers in Palestine must raise their children in such a context, yet little is understood about their experiences. Drawing upon masculinity theories, this study presents fatherhood as an inherently multifaceted role. We consider masculinity as one such facet, which in the Palestinian experience, is influenced by the ongoing conflict

Methods

This paper draws upon data from a larger research project exploring the experiences of Palestinian families living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Data were collected using the innovative, participatory methodology of rapid ethnography. Eighteen families (a total of 149 individual family members) participated in collaborative family interviews. Sampling from multiple sites—in various settings (refugee camp, village, city, encampment), under a range of territorial control (Israeli and/or Palestinian), and with different population densities—provided diverse examples of family experiences under occupation. Fathers were present for 9 of the 18 family interviews. However, even when the father was not present (due to, for example, work, imprisonment, or death), the family interviews still produced data relevant to fathering. Data were analyzed through careful reading and collation of transcripts to ascertain meaning and significance that participants attributed to their experiences. The transcripts were coded and concepts were generated and categorized into themes. The three most salient themes grounded in fathers’ narratives of parenting were related to broader tensions of masculinity and fatherhood.

Results

Participants’ narratives suggest that occupation has challenged or obstructed the performative aspects of fathering that have often been linked to masculinities: (1) provision; (2) protection; and (3) modeling. The first aspect refers to the role of the father as “breadwinner”; the second to the role of father as protector; and the third to the role of the father as masculine “model” from whom children can learn, presumably masculine, traits. These three aspects were seriously challenged as a direct consequence of living under occupation.

Conclusions and Implications

This research highlights the importance of listening to fathers’ voices in the context of conflict. Whereas most studies of war-affected populations tend to focus on children and mothers in conflict, attention should also be paid to fathers who contribute to their children’ s development in varied and unique ways. Approaches should focus on supporting fathers’ caregiving roles and should ultimately consider fathers’ multiple roles as provider, protector, and model both in relation to their families, but also within the community. Using a strengths-based perspective, practice with fathers who feel as if they do not fulfill the traditional “masculine” roles within society may eventually see the importance of their role within the family. We suggest that future research should be expanded to consider the experience of fathers in the context of political violence in order to learn about effective ways to support families.