Do fathers care? Examining caring experiences of Ugandan transnational fathers in Gothenburg Sweden.

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to explore caring experiences of transnational Ugandan fathers in Gothenburg Sweden based on their caring lived realities taking in account of their understanding of care. The aims of the study are to examine the perception and interpretation of childcaring by transnational fathers, analyse ways in which fathers were able to put their perceptions into practice and resource mechanisms that have facilitated their dealing with feelings of imperfection in child caring. The study employed an in-depth qualitative research design to gather data from seven transnational Ugandan fathers living in Gothenburg. Data was collected through use of in-depth qualitative interviews conducted in respondents’ local languages and English. Interviews had aspects of observation. The study found out that respondents perceived childcaring in terms of frequent communication with the child, financial provision, guidance and emotional care. The study found out that guidance and emotional care is much dependent on communication and financial provision under transnational child caring. Interviewed fathers however never fulfilled their perceptions of a good father due to their inability to offer emotional care, guidance and protection to their children all the time when in a long distance.