This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Baxter, J. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Patterns of change and stability in the gender division of household labour in Australia, 1986–1997

School of Social Science, The University of Queensland

Recent research in Australia and overseas has suggested that we are witnessing a convergence of men's and women's time on domestic labour activities. But there is disagreement about whether this is due to women reducing their time on housework or men increasing their time on housework. This article addresses these issues using national survey data collected in Australia in 1986, 1993 and 1997. The results show some changes in the proportional responsibilities of men and women in the home with men reporting a greater share of traditional indoor activities. But overall both men and women are spending less time on housework. In particular, women's time on housework has declined by six hours per week since 1986. Hence, while the gender gap between men's and women's involvement in the home is getting smaller, it is not the result of men increasing their share of the load, but is due to the large decline in women's time spent on domestic labour. There is also evidence of change in the relationship between paid and unpaid work for women. Women's hours of paid labour had a greater impact on their involvement in domestic labour in 1997 compared to a decade earlier. The article concludes that women's increased labour force involvement in combination with changing patterns and styles of consumption is leading to some changes in the gender division of household labour, but not in the direction anticipated by earlier commentators on the domestic division of labour.

Key Words: change • gender division of labour • household labour • housework • time

Journal of Sociology, Vol. 38, No. 4, 399-424 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/144078302128756750


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M. Maher, J. Lindsay, and S. Franzway Time, caring labour and social policy: understanding the family time economy in contemporary families Work Employment Society, September 1, 2008; 22(3): 547 - 558. [PDF]

				A. Hosking and M. Western The effects of non-standard employment on work--family conflict Journal of Sociology, March 1, 2008; 44(1): 5 - 27. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. Everingham, D. Stevenson, and P. Warner-Smith `Things are Getting Better all the Time'?: Challenging the Narrative of Women's Progress from a Generational Perspective Sociology, June 1, 2007; 41(3): 419 - 437. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. Craig Children and the revolution: A time-diary analysis of the impact of motherhood on daily workload Journal of Sociology, June 1, 2006; 42(2): 125 - 143. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. Craig Does Father Care Mean Fathers Share?: A Comparison of How Mothers and Fathers in Intact Families Spend Time with Children Gender Society, April 1, 2006; 20(2): 259 - 281. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. Pocock Work-life 'balance' in Australia: Limited progress, dim prospects Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, August 1, 2005; 43(2): 198 - 209. [Abstract] [PDF]