THE DOMESTIC DIVISION OF LABOUR Domestic Labour housework

THE DOMESTIC DIVISION OF LABOUR Domestic Labour = housework, childcare and paid work. Do men and women share domestic tasks equally?

TALCOTT PARSONS (1955) ‘Instrumental’ & ‘Expressive’ Roles’ Nuclear Family – nice and t s i l a n o i t c n u F functional! Husbands role = achieving success at work, financially supporting the family, very traditional! Wife’s role = primary socialising the children, looking after the house, the home-maker.

‘INSTRUMENTAL’ ROLE ‘EXPRESSIVE’ ROLE

‘INSTRUMENTAL’ ROLE To achieve success at work To provide financial support for the family To be a ‘Breadwinner’

‘EXPRESSIVE’ ROLE The Primary socialisation of the children Meeting the family’s emotional needs A ‘home-maker’

Men and Women are ‘biologically’ I disagree! Why amso. I it’s only suited to these roles biologically suited natural that men are the to breadwinners and women the stay at home stay at are home? wives.

Criticisms of Parsons

EASY TO CRITICISE PARSONS! More men are becoming involved in domestic duties More women are choosing a career instead of becoming a housewife What do feminists argue about Parsons view?

BOTT (1957) JOINT AND SEGREGATED CONJUGAL ROLES Segregated Conjugal roles very traditional - like Parsons view Men = breadwinner Women = Housewife The jobs are not shared

BOTT (1957) JOINT AND SEGREGATED CONJUGAL ROLES Joint Conjugal roles Husband Wife both share responsibility for: paid work childcare domestic chores

Segregated Conjugal Roles Husband = Breadwinner – once home from work, he can relax. Wife = housekeeper, cook, parent, wife, etc. She will not go out to work.

Joint Conjugal Roles Husband & Wife = Breadwinners, parents, share domestic chores etc. A more modern family type!

THE SYMMETRICAL FAMILY Young and Willmot (1973)

YOUNG AND WILLMOT (1973) Reasons for the rise of the symmetrical family Changes of women’s position in society Geographical mobility New technology Better standards of living

‘THIS IS ‘THE MARCH OF PROGRESS’

MARXIST FEMINISTS WOULD ARGUE AGAINST ‘THE MARCH OF PROGRESS VIEW Marxist-feminists argue that housewives by cooking, washing her husband’s clothes and even sleeping with him makes her partner into a more productive worker.

THEY BELIEVE THAT DOMESTIC LABOUR SERVES THE NEEDS OF THE CAPITALIST ECONOMY Marxist-feminists believe in addition that by producing and rearing children, at no cost to employers, housewives play a vital part in the reproduction of labour.