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SAMF-Fagkomiteen for samfunnsvitenskap

Work sharing couples. A longitudinal study of men in change and intergenerational transmission

Awarded: NOK 2.5 mill.

The project on work sharing couples addresses the issues of work-family reconciliation and gender equality. It is a follow-up-study as well as an extension of the work-sharing couples- study DAT (abbreviation for ?Delt arbeidstid? /shared work time), an action research project led by the late professor in sociology, Erik Grønseth, University of Oslo. The DAT research subjects participated in an experiment for gender equality based on the sharing of paid and unpaid work. It thus represented a proactive ef fort to initiate change and obtain a better balance between paid and unpaid work and more equal relations between men and women. An emphasis was placed on changing men?s relation to work. The purpose of the follow up study is to examine the experiment in a life course perspective with an emphasis on the role of men in changing gender relations and on intergenerational transmission of gender relations and family-work arrangements to the now adult DAT-children. The second generation, now in the same age and life-phase as their parents were in the 1970s, will be asked to tell how they experienced the work sharing arrangement of their parents. Their experiences will be compared to a group of young parents with similar socio-economic background who grew up in dual earner families where both parents worked full time or close to full time. Theoretically the project will draw upon recent contributions to the understanding of family practises and gender relations in particular theories on men and masculinities. T he intergenerational, longitudinal perspective calls for a biographical approach that connect individual lives to a wider context. The project will mainly be based on qualitative interviews with each subject individually. Supplementary questionnaires w ill be used to cover more precisely the time, work and care regimes of each family unit.

Funding scheme:

SAMF-Fagkomiteen for samfunnsvitenskap

Thematic Areas and Topics

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