Family - Housework

Question 1

Domestic division of labour

Answer 1

Refers to the roles that men and women play in relation to housework, child care and paid work.
Do men and women share housework equally?
Do men and women have equal say in family decisions about income?
Why does domestic violence occur and who commits it?

Question 2

Parsons: Instrumental and expressive roles

Answer 2

Husband (Instrumental role)-breadwinner who achieves success in order to provide for family financially.
Wife (Expressive role) -provides for family emotionally, concerning socialisation of children.
-Based on biological differences and suitability -> benefits both men and women
* Feminists argue division is not natural and ONLY benefits men.

Question 3

March of Progress view - YES housework is equally shared

Answer 3

Gershuny and Laurie(S) - as wives moved into paid employment, they did less housework, and men did a bit more -> some progress to reducing inequalities but was ‘slow process’. (1)

Improved status and rights of women through PAID EMPLOYMENT -> encourages men to accept more women as equals -> not just view them as housewives and wives more demanding that men share house tasks. (Why)

Question 4

March of Progress view - YES Housework is equally shared

Answer 4

Sullivan analysis of data -> found trend towards women doing a smaller share of domestic work and men doing more -> also found men were complete more in ‘traditional women’s ‘ tasks.

-> trends reflect changes in attitudes to division of labour -> survey found fall in number of people who believe men’s job = earn money AND women’s job = look after home and family. *THEN 1984, 45% of men and 41% of women agree NOW 2012, 13% of men and 12% of women agree.
(Why)

Question 5

Feminist view -NO Housework is not equally shared

Answer 5

Women going into paid work has not led to greater equality -> women carry dual burden -Survey (2012) Women did 2x as much as men in tasks (Housework and care for family) 36 hours to 18

Women are usually the ones who take responsibility for child’s security and well being -> women consider themselves primary carers whilst men held ‘provider ideology’ (Breadwinner) -> Media tells women how to be good mothers.

Question 6

Feminist view - NO Housework is not equally shared

Answer 6

Craig(S)-research indicated inequality begins when couple move in together and marry (Before Children) labelled ‘partnership penalty’. —> In marriage, the wives domestic labour increases -> husband housework decreases and less than when he was single.

Question 7

Explaining gender division of labour

-The cultural or ideological explanation of inequality

Answer 7

The cultural or ideological explanation of inequality:

• DOL determined by patriarchal norms and values that shape gender roles->Society expects women to perform more domestic labour.
• ** equality only achieved when norms change -> Gershuny found couples whose parents had more equal relationships -> causes couples to have more equal housework themselves -> parental models are important -> social values adapt based on role models

Question 8

Explaining gender division of labour

-The material or economic explanation of inequality

Answer 8

The material explanation of inequality:
-the fact that women earn less than men -> means economically fair for women to do more housework and childcare -> men can earn money

If women join labour force and earn as much as their partners -> men and women will share domestic labour more equally
*Kan(S)found for every £10,000 a year a women earns , she does two hours less housework per week.