Models of the family, women’s role and social policy
Year: 1999
Type: article
Abstract: Is Europe converging on a single dominant model of the family and Women’s role which provides the basis for convergence on a single set of social policies? This paper concludes that the European Commission is wrong to expect a single dominant trend. On the contrary, recent research shows that three quite different, even conflicting, models of the family, and of women’s role, continue to attract roughly equal support across the European Union as a whole, and within all EU countries. Two revolutions have occurred: the contraceptive revolution and the equal opportunities revolution, which have given women genuine choices for the first time in history. In the new scenario, women make divergent choices, producing at least three family models. In the future, social policy and employment policy need to recognize, and support, all three models of the family and of women’s role. This makes EU policy-making more difficult, and sheds new light on national differences.
Source: European Societies
Author: Catherine Hakim
Institution: London School of Economics and Political Science
Language: English
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W1965333540