Year: 2020
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The topic of work-life balance has gained much attention in recent years. A focal point \nremains the effects of maternal employment on the well-being of women and children, despite shifts \nin society towards gender equality. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of mothers \nwho either had chosen to stay at home after having children or to continue with full-time \nemployment; and how their decision impacted their lives. This qualitative study, based on the Social \nConstructionist paradigm, and Second Order Cybernetics and Feminist Theories, included interviews \nwith four full-time employed and four stay-at-home South African mothers. The data were analysed \nusing hermeneutic analysis. The findings suggest that the participants’ tensions regarding \nmotherhood and employment were strongly influenced by structural obstacles at work and at home, \ninterpersonal relationships with other mothers, as well as intrapersonal experiences. Breastfeeding \nwas identified as a prominent topic within the various themes.
Author: Liezel Van Beek
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3093117324