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Fatherhood regimes and father involvement in France and the UK

Gregory, A; Milner, SE

Authors

A Gregory

SE Milner



Abstract

This paper contrasts and compares the institutional framework for fatherhood and father involvement and the survey evidence relating to fathers’ contribution to childcare and domestic work in the two countries. It shows that while men’s contribution to such activities appears to be increasing in both France and the UK, change is slow and father involvement does not necessarily seem to correlate directly either with patterns of female labour force participation or with the support offered by the institutional framework. The authors explore the theoretical frameworks most appropriate for explaining their findings and situate them primarily in terms of Pfau-Effinger’s theorization of the gender arrangement (1998, 2002, 2004). The authors conclude that while change in father involvement is slow, the introduction of statutory and organizational worklife balance measures which alter the gender order open up opportunities for negotiated
change in the division of the labour in the home.

Citation

Gregory, A., & Milner, S. (2008). Fatherhood regimes and father involvement in France and the UK. Community, Work and Family, 11(1), 61-84. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668800701419391

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Feb 1, 2008
Deposit Date Mar 26, 2010
Journal Community, Work & Family
Print ISSN 1366-8803
Publisher Routledge
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 11
Issue 1
Pages 61-84
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/13668800701419391
Keywords fathers; fatherhood; father involvement; domestic division of labour;
work�life balance; France; UK
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13668800701419391
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