Work/Family Policies, The Changing Role of Fathers and The Presumption of Shared Responsibility for Parenting

Bibliographic Data

ID11229210
AuthorsGraeme Russell (corresponding author), Deidre James, Jodie Watson
Year1988
Volume23
Issue4
Pages249-267
Publication date1988-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAustralian Journal of Social Issues (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0157-6321 • E-ISSN: 1839-4655
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/j.1839-4655.1988.tb00849.x
OpenAlexW2564237283
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited8

Recent approaches to work/family policies which emphasise options for women have the potential to reinforce gender divisions of labour and to increase conflicts between paid work and family. It is argued here that more account needs to be taken of the interaction between male and female commitments to work and family, and of the possible increased involvement by men in family life. The movement away from the traditional role as the autocratic head of the household towards a more nurturant and available father role, while still small, appears to be gathering momentum. This is reflected in recent research findings, in newspaper articles and other media reports, and in proposals for changes in employment policies (e.g., the ACTU “family leave” test case). While research and everyday accounts provide some hope for future changes in gender divisions of labour, more caution needs to be taken in interpreting research findings and in making statements about the extent to which change has already occurred. A radical new direction in approaches to policy development is needed if the existing status quo of father as the major breadwinner and more distant family member, and mother as the housewife, nurturer and supplementary income earner, is to be altered. Suggestions are made for the development of policies that would both respond to the needs of fathers who are primary caregivers, and help promote a greater sharing of parenting responsibilities by fathers. The basis of these proposals is an argument for the adoption of a presumption of shared parenting to parallel the current presumption of gender equality in the paid workforce

Argument (complex analysis · Deskilling · Economics · Family life · Housewife · Newspaper · Nuclear family · Parallels · Political science · Presumption · Public relations · Sociology · Status quo · Work (physics · Gender Studies · Historical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes · Law · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Work-Family Balance Challenges

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