Anette Hoel

Research interests

Men and masculinities, gender equality issues intersecing with other categories of discrimination such as class, ethnicity, education, age

Special interests in fatherhood, kindergartens, ethnicity and a practical focus on gender equality work

 

Classes taught

KULT 2207/2208  Gender and Norwegian Culture

KULT 2202/2206 Perspektiver på kjønn

 

PhD Project

"The other fathers – ethnicity, fatherhood and masculinity in Norway - the country of gender equality"

In the spring 2009, the so-called immimgrant fathers, their responsibility for equality and their ways of being fathers were debated in Norwegian news media. The former Minister of Children and Equality Anniken Huitfeldt's requirements for ethnic minority fathers were at the centre of the debate. The main issue was how they managed their role as fathers. The Minister set ethnic Norwegian men as the ideal "the other" fathers should strive for. To one of the main national newspapers she said: "We have the best men in the world, no other men do as much housework and spend so much time with their children as Norwegian men." At the same time she asked ethnic minority fathers to do as Norwegian fathers: change diapers, pick up in kindergarten and do the dishes.

Based on the media debate that arose in the wake of Huitfeldt's statements and the Norwegian emphasize on the active fatherhood as a symbol of equality and Norwegianness, I posed following research questions:

1.     Which notions and expectations of fatherhood do ethnic minority men have? How are their understandings positioned in the complex interaction between cultural, individual and local contexts? How do ethnic minority fathers relate to Norwegian gender equality ideals? Which practices and ideals may they get from their own fathers?

2.     What role does fatherhood play as a source to notions and negotiations about masculinity? What can this tell us about the relationship between masculinity and otherness? Which truisms about ethnicity, sexuality and gender are shared, taken for granted, fought about or made silent?

3.     Is there any resistance against the dominant ideals in the Norwegian discourse and in local discourses? How does the resistance manifest itself in constitutions of fatherhood and masculinity?

Publications

Reports

Hoel, Renolen, Johansen. 2009. Nye barnehager i gamle spor. Kunnskapsdepartementet. http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/kd/dok/rapporter_planer/rapporter/2010/rapport-nye-barnehager-i-gamle-spor-.html?id=611433

M.A Thesis

Hoel, A. 2009. Fremtidens fedre. En kvalitativ studie om unge menns holdninger til farskap og familieliv. M.A. Thesis. NTNU. Department of interdisciplinary studies of culture. http://www.ntnu.no/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=01d03afe-921a-4bfe-a4cc-978382ec5ad2&groupId=10265

 

Commentary

Hoel, A. 2010. Hamar 2049 – en by uten mangfold? Hamar arbeiderblad 19.8.2010 http://likestillingssenteret.no/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=0slVaZ%2bE7T8%3d&tabid=3510

 

Hoel, A. 2010. Nye barnehager i gamle spor. Dagsavisen 30.08.2010.

http://www.nyemeninger.no/alle_meninger/cat1003/subcat1014/thread100048/#post_100048

 

Hoel, A. 2009. Farlig frafall for framtida. Oppland arbeiderblad 09.08.2010 http://likestillingssenteret.no/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=REwaNnX4GoU%3d&tabid=3510