The Reasons for Fathers in Russia to Avoid Providing with Alimony? Divorced Fathers' Discourses on Mothers, Alimony Pay ments, and Family Policy.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2025.1.2676Keywords:
child support, alimony defaulters, divorce, fatherhood, masculinity, children's rights, family policy, online communicationAbstract
The purpose of the article is to identify essential directions for solving the problem of non-payment of alimony. For this purpose, the authors turn to the analysis of international and Russian experience of family policy in ensuring the rights of children to maintenance in divorced families, as well as systematization of discourses about the reasons for non-payment of alimony in online communications.
The analysis is based on data collected from social media, in particular VKontakte, Telegram channels, Russian forums, and YouTube channels that contain discussions related to alimony non-payment issue. The authors perform a thematic analysis of the comments based on the content analysis and critical discourse analysis methods. Depending on the combination of ability and willingness to pay alimony, the following groups of divorced fathers are identified: conscientious, helpless, dysfunctional, offended, and cynical. The accusatory discourse of those unwilling and unable to pay alimony includes topics related to discrimination against fathers in public opinion; accusations against the state, society, ex-wives, and their new partners; recognition of difficult life circumstances and lack of their own opportunities; risks of starting a family as well as fatherhood; awareness of fatherhood as a heavy burden; unwillingness to bear responsibility for providing for children after a divorce. The critical discourse of those able and willing to pay alimony is presented with topics related to the injustice and repressiveness of family legislation; inequality of rights of fathers and mothers; imperfection of mechanisms for calculating and collecting alimony. This discourse is supplemented by specific proposals for their solutions. Based on the results of the analysis, the authors suggest a series of practical recommendations for improving legal and regulatory framework in family policy.
Acknowledgments. The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 23-18-00770.
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