Fatherhood and Poverty

The number of unwed mothers has increased greatly over the past several decades, particularly in low-income communities. Of course, it follows that the number of unwed fathers has increased also. Yet most people know very little about these men, note Kathryn Edin and Timothy Nelson, Kennedy School sociologists who have focused their research on this group.

Edin, a professor of public policy and management, and Nelson, a lecturer in social policy, last year coauthored (along with Jennifer March Augustine of the University of Texas) a paper titled “Why Do Poor Men Have Children? Fertility Intentions among Low-Income Unmarried U.S. Fathers,” published in the Annals of the American Academy of Political Science. Their study features interviews with 171 men from the Philadelphia area, who speak candidly about their intention to have children, their involvement as parents, and how their children have affected them and their behavior.

“Contrary to the conventional wisdom, the disadvantaged men whose narratives formed this account typically have at least an ambivalent desire to father and perceive considerable benefits in doing so,” write the authors.

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