Gender Equality in the Welfare State?

by Gillian Pascall

Overview

The relationship between gender and welfare states is of key importance in understanding welfare states and gender equality and inequality. Western welfare states of the post-war era were built on assumptions about gender difference: they treated men as breadwinners and women as carers. Now governments are committed in principle to gender equality. But how far have they come from male breadwinner assumptions to gender equality assumptions? How much do gender differences continue in UK social policy and social practice? The book analyses the male breadwinner model in terms of power, employment, care, time and income, providing a framework for chapters which ask about policies and practices for gender equality in each of these. This new approach to analysis of gender equality in social welfare contextualises national policies and debates within comparative theoretical analysis and data, making the volume interesting to a wide audience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781447309185
Publisher:	Policy Press
Publication date:	04/27/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Gillian Pascall is Professor Emerita of Social Policy at the University of Nottingham, UK, where she has long taught gender and social policy to students, undergraduate and postgraduate, local and international. Relationships between welfare states and gender have been at the centre of her research and publications since Social Policy: A Feminist Analysis (1986).

Table of Contents

Introduction; Understanding Gender in welfare states; Gendered power; Gender in employment; Gender care; Gendered income; Gendered time; Conclusion.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"There is a crying need for this publication. Anyone who teaches in the area of gender and social policy will want this book." Professor the Baroness (Ruth) Lister of Burtersett, Loughborough University

"It makes a valuable and timely contribution to scholarship in this area." Kirstein Rummery, University of Stirling,

"No doubting the relevance and value of Pascall’s timely contribution... the analysis is exceptionally detailed yet accessible to all audiences with an interest in social policy. ... a valuable guide to gender equality in European welfare systems." People, Place and Policy

Editorial Reviews

'Pascall’s book offers an accessible, valuable guide to gender equality in welfare systems' it 'comes at a critical point when recession threatens hard-won gains on socio-economic welfare and gender equality.' International Journal of Social Welfare.

From the Publisher

There is a crying need for this publication. Anyone who teaches in the area of gender and social policy will want this publication.

Baroness (Ruth) Lister of Burtersett

Pascall’s book offers an accessible, valuable guide to gender equality in welfare systems. . . . It comes at a critical point when recession threatens hard-won gains on socioeconomic welfare and gender equality.”

International Journal of Social Welfare

Gender Equality in the Welfare State? was published in the context of a postfeminist choice rhetoric in which it is increasingly assumed that gender equality has been achieved. Going against this grain, Pascall's book is a potent reminder that change has not infiltrated as far as some commentators claim.

People, Place and Policy - Lindsey McCarthy

It makes a valuable and timely contribution to scholarship in this area.

Kirstein Rummery