‘We are not only providers, we are nurturers’: Assamese rural fathers’ experiences of fatherhood in India

This study aims to unfold the fatherhood practices and experiences in rural Assam in India. Traditionally, caring roles are perceived as women’s jobs, often overshadowing the men’s role in them. However, in recent years, a significant transformation has been observed in caring practice, with an increased involvement of men. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 17 fathers in rural Assam, India, this study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore how men negotiate caregiving within a patriarchal setting. This study investigates how men navigate caregiving duties, provide emotional support, and interpret the moral dimension of ‘good fatherhood' within the enduring cultural norms of hegemonic masculinity. The findings are structured around five key themes that correspond to the lived experiences of Assamese fathers: redefining fatherhood, fathers as nurturers and caregivers, fatherhood and stigma, negotiating between traditional and modern fatherhood, and evolving masculinity. These themes offer a broader and in-depth understanding of the fathering practices and perspectives of Assamese rural fathers within their broader social and cultural contexts. The findings show how fathers transition between traditional and new fatherhood responsibilities and emphasize the uncertainty that determines contemporary fathers’ roles.