How much father? How have dads evolved since the 1930s?
Thursday, December 31, 2015 at 9:00AM 
With special guest:
- Dr Peter West
How have dads evolved since the 1930s? In the 1990s, Dr Peter West interviewed a wide variety of men who grew up in the decades between the Depression and the final decade on the 20th Century. The result of those interviews was the book Fathers, Sons and Lovers: Men Talk About Their Lives from the 1930s to Today. From footballers to policemen, from railway workers to farmers, he provided a rare glimpse into the lived realities or everyday Australian dads.
In this program, Glen Poole of Helping Men interviews Peter about the changing nature of fatherhood since the 1930s, asks how things have changed for dads since he wrote his book nearly 20 years ago and explores what fatherhood holds for the next generation of dads.
In his book, Peter posed the questions: “Is it easier to be a man today than it was for our fathers? How different are our expectations of boys? To what extent have relationships changed?”
In the twenty years that have passed since then Peter has continued to be a regular commentator on the state of fatherhood in Australia, both lamenting negative media portrayals of dads as “fools and clowns” and highlighting ways in which he believes fatherhood is changing for the better.
In the foreword to his book, written in 1996, Peter wrote: “In debates about men and women, people seemed to emphasise the differences between the sexes. My work in the men’s movement has shown me that men often argue among themselves. But they can discover many things that unite them. This book was written in the spirit of reconciliation and in hope of making a better world for men and women alike.”
Dr Peter West
Dr Peter West is a well-known author and social commentator. For many years, he was Head of the Research Group on Men and Families, University of Western Sydney. He has written for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, www.onlineopinion.com.au and The Conversation.
He is the author of What is the Matter with Boys? (Choice Books) and Fathers, Sons and Lovers: Men Talk about Their Lives from the 1930s to Today (Finch). He is a casual academic at University of Technology Sydney.
Dr West gives workshops for teachers and parents on educating boys overseas as well as in many parts of Australia and New Zealand. You can find out more about his work in boys’ education at www.boyseducation.com.au.
Song selections by our guest: Take On Me by a-ha & Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys