Achieving gender equality through paid and unpaid work: an exploration of mothers’ perspectives on work
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Authors
Jacinto, Sofia
Author (Corporation)
Publication date
05.04.2023
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Course of study
Type
01A - Journal article
Editors
Editor (Corporation)
Supervisor
Parent work
Social Sciences
Special issue
DOI of the original publication
Link
Series
Series number
Volume
12
Issue / Number
4
Pages / Duration
218-241
Patent number
Publisher / Publishing institution
MDPI
Place of publication / Event location
Basel
Edition
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Abstract
The prevailing understanding of work as paid work is reflected in political efforts to achieve gender equality, which include emphasising that women, like men, should increasingly pursue paid work. This exploratory research aims to question whether this idea to align female with male life patterns is conducive to gender equality and to promote new insights based on mothers’ experiences. Our analysis is based on guided interviews with eight Swiss mothers in part-time employment who have at least one child aged three or older, and a working partner in the same household. The interviews show that these mothers do not share the expectation that all mothers should take on the main responsibility for domestic and care work, nor the expectation that all women should be doing full-time paid work. They would like to see greater acceptance and appreciation of different forms of work. This research concludes that gender justice can be understood as a freedom of choice that includes both the right to be doing paid work and the right to have time for domestic and care work - for men and women. Gender equality efforts do not have to be restricted to one form of work, but can leave room for different types of work and the appreciation of them.
Keywords
paid work, unpaid work, domestic work, care work, gender equality, feminism, motherhood, mothers
Subject (DDC)
360 - Soziale Probleme, Sozialdienste, Versicherungen
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ISBN
ISSN
2076-0760
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Gold
License
Citation
MADÖRIN, Sarah und Sofia JACINTO, 2023. Achieving gender equality through paid and unpaid work: an exploration of mothers’ perspectives on work. Social Sciences. 5 April 2023. Bd. 12, Nr. 4, S. 218–241. DOI 10.3390/socsci12040218. Verfügbar unter: https://doi.org/10.26041/fhnw-7581