A gendered agency of good enough: Swedish single fathers navigating conflicting state and marketplace ideologies

Abstract

Prior research has shown how global marketplace ideologies have grown in influence at the expense of the state. This study shows how state ideologies can gain momentum and encourage new forms of consumer agency. Based on Swedish single fathers' everyday childcare, it illustrates how agency is negotiated as fathers navigate between a progressive state ideology of gender equality and a traditional marketplace ideology of intensive mothering. Swedish fathers are drawn to the practice of childcare and forming emotional bonds with their children – yet with a gendered consumer agency of good enough that differs from mothers' agency. The findings have implications beyond the context of Swedish fathers. Firstly, they underscore the importance of taking the state into account regarding consumption, markets and culture. Secondly, they detail the interplay and tensions between ideology and everyday life and thirdly, they illustrate that while traditional gender structures tend to run deep, they can change.

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