We study interdependencies in spousal labor supply and the effectiveness of intrahousehold insurance in a sample of married couples, where the husband loses his job due to a mass layoff or plant closure using data from the Austrian Social Security Database. We show that in our sample of relatively young couples the shock hits households at crucial stages of family formation, which requires careful modeling of the wives' counterfactual lifecycle labor market patterns. In our empirical analysis, we propose three independent control groups of unaffected households to identify the causal effects of husbands' displacement on wives' labor supply. Our empirical results show that husbands suffer large and persistent employment and earnings losses over the first 5 years after displacement. But wives' labor supply increases only moderately and they respond predominantly at the extensive margin. The implied participation elasticity with respect to the husband's earnings shock is very small, about -0:04. While the wives' earnings gains recover only a tiny fraction of the household income loss, public transfers and taxes are a more important insurance at least in the short run. In terms of non-labor market related outcomes, we find a small positive effect on the probability of divorce, but no effect of the husband's job displacement on fertility. The presence and ages of children in the household are crucial determinants of the wife's labor supply response. The most responsive group are mothers, who are planning to return to the labor market after a maternity break, while mothers of very young children or wives without children remain unresponsive. We thus conclude that Austria's strong gender identity norms are an explanation for the limited scope of intra-household insurance.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore how stay-at-home fathers view their role as the primary caregiver, and how they encounter opposing masculinity issues. This is explored through discussion about daily life, the decision to stay home, and household labor, a particularly interesting reflection of gender roles and equality. The two research questions used to explore this included: How do stay-at-home fathers understand their masculinity and social role? How does talk about the negotiation of household labor in stay-at-home father/career mother families illustrate masculinity issues? Through an analysis of interviews of eight present or past stay-at-home fathers, I capture the ways that these fathers describe and discuss the stay-at-home parent role. By looking at how these men define and interpret the specific challenges they face while in this role, I help tell the stories of stay-at-home father/career mother families, and understand whether these families, too, experience Hochschild's "stalled revolution."

There is evidence that household division of labor is associated with marital satisfaction among Chinese populations. However, little research has compared different Chinese societies, as well as non-rural and rural regions. This study compared the division of household labor, and its association with marital satisfaction, between China and Taiwan, between non-rural and rural regions, and between males and females using data from a large, multinational study of countries in East Asia. The moderating effect of gender role ideology was examined as a potential moderating variable, as well. Overall, division of household labor was significantly associated with marital satisfaction. However, gender role ideology was not a significant moderator. Invariance testing revealed no group differences, including China and Taiwan, rural and non-rural, and male and female, in the relationship between division of household labor and marital satisfaction. Additional analysis indicated that gender role ideology was a significant moderator for females in rural China.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) on marital relationships. MCI refers to age-related decline in memory and other cognitive processes that do not necessarily interfere with daily activities or the maintenance of social relationships with others (Petersen et al., 1999). Using social exchange theory as the theoretical framework to guide this qualitative study, aspects of the marital relationship explored from the nonimpaired spouses’ perspective were couple interaction, intimacy, and the division of household labor. In-depth interviews were conducted with five husbands and five wives (M age = 76.6 yrs., S.D. = 6.64). Open-ended interview questions that focus on issues specific to the marital relationship included: (a) range of activities participated in as a couple, (b) ways of showing care or affection toward one another, and (e) management of everyday life. In addition to participating in the semi-structured interviews, the spouses completed three standardized scales (e.g., Revised Memory & Behavior Problems Checklist, Zarit Burden Interview, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale). Their responses to these measures provided information about the memory and behavioral changes of the elder as it related to the outcomes for and responses of the spouse. Spouses noted both change and stability within their marriages. They expressed “mixed emotions” concerning the influence of MCI on both them as individuals and on their relationship. Husbands’ responses focused on the negative relationship outcomes (e.g., frustration, stress) associated with caring for a spouse with memory loss; however, wives reported higher levels of burden and depression on the standardized measures than did the husbands. Gender differences were found regarding how husbands and wives view their roles in context to the caregiving situation, as well as how they adapt and cope. Longitudinal research is needed to examine the changes in the dynamics of these late-life marital relationships over time. / Master of Science

A presente dissertação analisa a condição das trabalhadoras por conta própria e a domicílio na sociedade contemporânea, questionando-se como as mulheres trabalhadoras percebem e acessam a cidadania e vivenciam seu cotidiano no cenário atual das transformações do trabalho e do emprego no Brasil. Tem-se em vista que a concretização da cidadania no Brasil esteve intimamente ligada com a criação dos direitos do trabalho. A amostra de pesquisa é composta por mulheres trabalhadoras no domicílio, por conta própria ou a domicílio subcontratadas, residentes da região do Vale do Sinos, cidade de São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul. Todas as trabalhadoras apresentaram alguma passagem pela indústria calçadista desta região e um histórico de migração de cidade. A pesquisa empírica é conduzida pela técnica de entrevistas em profundidade e observação do cotidiano das trabalhadoras. O quadro teórico se constitui a partir das categorias de análise: trabalho, cidadania, gênero e cotidiano. Para tanto, dimensões conceituais de cidadania, divisão sexual do trabalho, patriarcado, gênero, cotidiano, ciclo de vida, trabalho a domicílio e trabalho por conta própria são chave na presente análise. Demonstra-se como a relação das trabalhadoras com a casa é estreita e que em sua vida cotidiana não há espaço para participação comunitária e política. O ciclo de vida é decisivo na vida das mulheres e quando alguma mudança importante neste se dá, elas são chamadas a cumprir seus papéis sociais. Percebe-se na análise que a cidadania das mulheres trabalhadoras no domicílio, seja por conta própria ou a domicílio é fragilizada e por vezes seus direitos estão ausentes. Evidencia-se que há necessidade de construir-se outra cidadania, ampliada também às mulheres, e traz elementos para essa construção. / The present dissertation analyses the conditions of self-employed and household female workers in contemporary society, asking how female workers realize and access citizenship and how they live their daily life in the current scenario of work and employment changes in Brazil. It is noticed that the concretion of the citizenship in Brazil was intimately linked to the creation of the labor rights. The research sample is composed by female workers, selfemployed or household workers hired under registered contract, residents of the region of Vale do Sinos, city of São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul. All workers presented a pass through in the shoe industry of this region and a history of city migration. The empirical research is conducted by the in-depth interview method and by observational study of the daily life of the workers. The theoretical framework is constituted since the following categories of analysis: work, citizenship, gender and daily life. To this end, conceptual dimensions of citizenship, sexual division of labor, patriarchate, gender, daily life, life cycle, household labor and self-employment job are the key in this present analysis. It demonstrates how the relationship of female workers with the household is close and how there is not any space of communitarian and political activities in their daily life. Life cycle is crucial in the life of women. When some important change happens in this life cycle, they are called to perform their social roles. It can be noticed in the analysis that the citizenship of the female workers, either self-employed or household workers, is fragile and sometimes their rights are absent. It is evident that there is a need of constructing another citizenship, extended also to women, and this research provides elements for this elaboration.

Labor division is highly gendered in Germany, especially after the transition to parenthood. When having a child, more women than men are taking parental leave, and mainly women do the additional household chores. While many studies have looked at the distribution of labor across the transition to parenthood, few studies have investigated how this distribution is perceived. This study explores the perceived fairness of the division of labor in a partnership before and after the transition to parenthood using ordinary least squares (OLS) and fixed-effects regressions. As the focus is set on Germany, the data for the analysis derive from pairfam, a German panel study launched in 2008. The results show that men’s perceived fairness of the division of labor is hardly affected by the transition to fatherhood. For women, in contrast, motherhood leads to a higher perception of fairness. Employment thereby mediates this relationship by decreasing the effect the transition to motherhood has on the fairness. The findings hint to a dissatisfaction of employed women with the distribution of paid and unpaid work after transitioning to parenthood.

A presente dissertação analisa a condição das trabalhadoras por conta própria e a domicílio na sociedade contemporânea, questionando-se como as mulheres trabalhadoras percebem e acessam a cidadania e vivenciam seu cotidiano no cenário atual das transformações do trabalho e do emprego no Brasil. Tem-se em vista que a concretização da cidadania no Brasil esteve intimamente ligada com a criação dos direitos do trabalho. A amostra de pesquisa é composta por mulheres trabalhadoras no domicílio, por conta própria ou a domicílio subcontratadas, residentes da região do Vale do Sinos, cidade de São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul. Todas as trabalhadoras apresentaram alguma passagem pela indústria calçadista desta região e um histórico de migração de cidade. A pesquisa empírica é conduzida pela técnica de entrevistas em profundidade e observação do cotidiano das trabalhadoras. O quadro teórico se constitui a partir das categorias de análise: trabalho, cidadania, gênero e cotidiano. Para tanto, dimensões conceituais de cidadania, divisão sexual do trabalho, patriarcado, gênero, cotidiano, ciclo de vida, trabalho a domicílio e trabalho por conta própria são chave na presente análise. Demonstra-se como a relação das trabalhadoras com a casa é estreita e que em sua vida cotidiana não há espaço para participação comunitária e política. O ciclo de vida é decisivo na vida das mulheres e quando alguma mudança importante neste se dá, elas são chamadas a cumprir seus papéis sociais. Percebe-se na análise que a cidadania das mulheres trabalhadoras no domicílio, seja por conta própria ou a domicílio é fragilizada e por vezes seus direitos estão ausentes. Evidencia-se que há necessidade de construir-se outra cidadania, ampliada também às mulheres, e traz elementos para essa construção. / The present dissertation analyses the conditions of self-employed and household female workers in contemporary society, asking how female workers realize and access citizenship and how they live their daily life in the current scenario of work and employment changes in Brazil. It is noticed that the concretion of the citizenship in Brazil was intimately linked to the creation of the labor rights. The research sample is composed by female workers, selfemployed or household workers hired under registered contract, residents of the region of Vale do Sinos, city of São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul. All workers presented a pass through in the shoe industry of this region and a history of city migration. The empirical research is conducted by the in-depth interview method and by observational study of the daily life of the workers. The theoretical framework is constituted since the following categories of analysis: work, citizenship, gender and daily life. To this end, conceptual dimensions of citizenship, sexual division of labor, patriarchate, gender, daily life, life cycle, household labor and self-employment job are the key in this present analysis. It demonstrates how the relationship of female workers with the household is close and how there is not any space of communitarian and political activities in their daily life. Life cycle is crucial in the life of women. When some important change happens in this life cycle, they are called to perform their social roles. It can be noticed in the analysis that the citizenship of the female workers, either self-employed or household workers, is fragile and sometimes their rights are absent. It is evident that there is a need of constructing another citizenship, extended also to women, and this research provides elements for this elaboration.

A presente dissertação analisa a condição das trabalhadoras por conta própria e a domicílio na sociedade contemporânea, questionando-se como as mulheres trabalhadoras percebem e acessam a cidadania e vivenciam seu cotidiano no cenário atual das transformações do trabalho e do emprego no Brasil. Tem-se em vista que a concretização da cidadania no Brasil esteve intimamente ligada com a criação dos direitos do trabalho. A amostra de pesquisa é composta por mulheres trabalhadoras no domicílio, por conta própria ou a domicílio subcontratadas, residentes da região do Vale do Sinos, cidade de São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul. Todas as trabalhadoras apresentaram alguma passagem pela indústria calçadista desta região e um histórico de migração de cidade. A pesquisa empírica é conduzida pela técnica de entrevistas em profundidade e observação do cotidiano das trabalhadoras. O quadro teórico se constitui a partir das categorias de análise: trabalho, cidadania, gênero e cotidiano. Para tanto, dimensões conceituais de cidadania, divisão sexual do trabalho, patriarcado, gênero, cotidiano, ciclo de vida, trabalho a domicílio e trabalho por conta própria são chave na presente análise. Demonstra-se como a relação das trabalhadoras com a casa é estreita e que em sua vida cotidiana não há espaço para participação comunitária e política. O ciclo de vida é decisivo na vida das mulheres e quando alguma mudança importante neste se dá, elas são chamadas a cumprir seus papéis sociais. Percebe-se na análise que a cidadania das mulheres trabalhadoras no domicílio, seja por conta própria ou a domicílio é fragilizada e por vezes seus direitos estão ausentes. Evidencia-se que há necessidade de construir-se outra cidadania, ampliada também às mulheres, e traz elementos para essa construção. / The present dissertation analyses the conditions of self-employed and household female workers in contemporary society, asking how female workers realize and access citizenship and how they live their daily life in the current scenario of work and employment changes in Brazil. It is noticed that the concretion of the citizenship in Brazil was intimately linked to the creation of the labor rights. The research sample is composed by female workers, selfemployed or household workers hired under registered contract, residents of the region of Vale do Sinos, city of São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul. All workers presented a pass through in the shoe industry of this region and a history of city migration. The empirical research is conducted by the in-depth interview method and by observational study of the daily life of the workers. The theoretical framework is constituted since the following categories of analysis: work, citizenship, gender and daily life. To this end, conceptual dimensions of citizenship, sexual division of labor, patriarchate, gender, daily life, life cycle, household labor and self-employment job are the key in this present analysis. It demonstrates how the relationship of female workers with the household is close and how there is not any space of communitarian and political activities in their daily life. Life cycle is crucial in the life of women. When some important change happens in this life cycle, they are called to perform their social roles. It can be noticed in the analysis that the citizenship of the female workers, either self-employed or household workers, is fragile and sometimes their rights are absent. It is evident that there is a need of constructing another citizenship, extended also to women, and this research provides elements for this elaboration.

Significant shifts in social ideology and legislation have brought about considerable changes in work and family dynamics in the Western world, and the male as breadwinner-wife as homemaker model is no longer the norm. However, despite increasingly gender egalitarian ideals, the division of labor among dual-earner couples tends to adopt a "neo traditional" once children are born, where women devote more time to family labor and men spend more time in paid employment Although asymmetrical divisions of labor have clear workplace and societal consequences in terms of women's earnings, organizational advancement, and inequality, the effects on individual well-being are not well understood. The purpose of the present study was to apply the theoretical lens of person-environment fit to examine how misfit between dual-earner couples' pre-child division of labor preferences and post-child actual divisions of labor relate to affective (career, marital, and family satisfaction) and health-related (depression and physical health symptoms) well-being. Additionally, several conditions were posited to temper the strengths of these relationships (domain centrality, gender, voice in division of labor decision making, and satisfaction with the current division of labor). Participants were 126 dual-earner couples with small children, and hypotheses were testing using polynomial regression analyses. The results suggested that congruence between an individual's own pre-child desires for the division of paid labor and the actual post-child division of paid labor relates to his/her own career and marital satisfaction, depression, and physical health symptoms. Congruence in the family domain is also important, as desire-division of family labor fit related to affective sentiments toward family and one's spouse. With the exception of career satisfaction, these relationships were curvilinear, such that deviations in either direction from perfect fit related to poorer well-being. On the other hand, there was little evidence for spousal effects, as dual-earner well-being did not relate the congruence between division of labor abilities and spousal demands. Finally, evidence of moderation was only found in a few cases, and none were consistent with prediction, highlighting the need for future research on the contextual conditions of P-E fit in the dual-earner context.

This study evaluates the efficacy of a self-guided, low-intensity curriculum, Marriage Moments, based on Fowers' (2000) virtues model of marital quality that emphasizes friendship, generosity, justice and loyalty. The Marriage Moments program consists of a guidebook and a video that were designed to strengthen marriages during the transition to parenthood and is used in the context of a home visitation program for first-time parents. Participants in the study included 119 married couples who had recently given birth to their first child. They were assigned to either a treatment, comparison or control group. The treatment group received the Marriage Moments curriculum as well as the Welcome Baby home visitation curriculum, the comparison group only received the Welcome Baby curriculum and the control group received neither program. Data were gathered through a battery of self- and spouse-report measures given at 3-months, 4-months, and 9-months postpartum. Relationship outcome measures included in this study were the Marital Virtues Profile, Revised-Dyadic Adjustment Scale, RELATE Satisfaction subscale, Transition Adjustment Scale, Father Involvement Scale, Household Labor Scale, and Maternal Depression Scale. Despite positive evaluations of the program from participants, analyses revealed a lack of significant, positive effects for members of the treatment group. Further research is needed before reliable conclusions can be drawn about the value of a marital virtues model as a guide for low intensity intervention.