Work-Family Dynamics

Work-life integration is an increasingly hot topic in the media, social research, governments and in people's everyday lives. This volume offers a new type of lens for understanding work-family reconciliation by studying how work-family dynamics are shaped, squeezed and developed between consistent or competing logics in different societies in Europe and the US. The three institutions of "state", "family" and "working life", and their under-explored primary logics of "regulation", "morality" and "economic competitiveness" are examined theoretically as well as empirically throughout the chapters, thus contributing to an understanding of the contemporary challenges within the field of work-family research that combines structure and culture. Particular attention is given to the ways in which the institutions are confronted with various moral norms of good parenthood or motherhood and ideals for family life. Likewise, the logic of policy regulation and gendered family moralities are challenged by the economic logic of working life, based on competition in favour of the most productive workers and organizations. Demonstrating different aspects of what is behind and between the logics of state regulation, morals and market, this innovative volume will appeal to students, teachers and researchers interested in areas such as family studies, welfare state studies, social policy studies, work life studies as well as and gender studies.

Contents List of figures and tables - Integrating work and family: Changing institutions and competing logics Elin Kvande, Berit Brandth and Sigtona Halrynjo Part 1 Current challenges of work-family dynamics - institutional differences - The logics of work, care and gender change in the new economy: A view from the U.S. Kathleen Gerson - Managing work-life tensions in the neo-liberal UK Diane Perrons - Work and family cultures: Dynamics of family change in Southern Europe Isabella Crespi and Almudena Moreno Mínguez - Fathers integrating work and childcare: Reconciling the logics? Berit Brandth and Elin Kvande Part 2 Gendered logics and strategies of work and parenting - When work meets childcare: The competing logics of mothering and gender equality Kristine Warhuus Smeby - Making sense of motherhood and fatherhood: Competing moral discourses and logics of caring and work 'choices' in the UK Tina Miller - Hidden rules and competing logics: Working fathers within organizations in Germany Mechtild Oechsle and Sandra Beaufaÿs Part 3 Competing logics intensified: Careers and elite professions - Long hours and the work devotion schema: The case of executive men in the United States Mary Blair-Loy and Stacy J. Williams - Nordic work-family regulations exported to a liberal context Gunnhild Foss Heggem and Elin Kvande - Pregnancy as a career killer Hege Børve - Exploring the career logic within the Nordic work-family model Sigtona Halrynjo List of contributors