Research Supervisor: 

Associate Professor Somaya Abdullah

Brief Biography:

Asanda Nkwanyana is a Master’s student in the Department of Social Development at the University of Cape Town, supervised by Associate Professor Somaya Abdullah. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Nelson Mandela University and an Honours degree in Social Development from the University of Cape Town. Her research, “Fathering Beyond Barriers: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Black Non-Residential Fathers Participating in a Fatherhood Programme”, investigates how historical disadvantages and dispossession in South Africa continue to shape patterns of fathering and parental care in black contemporary societies. This research challenges the dominant narratives of black father absence and highlights the resilience, care, and aspirations of black fathers navigating structural and social barriers. Through this research, she seeks to reclaim and reframe narratives of Black fatherhood, creating space to renegotiate how care, presence, responsibility, masculinity and belonging are understood in contexts shaped by enduring histories of marginalization. In doing so, her work contributes to broader conversations on social justice, family well-being and transformative fatherhood within the field of social development.

Title of Dissertation:

Fathering Beyond Barriers: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Black, Non-residential Fathers participating in a Fatherhood Programme