Gender Divisions and Working Time in the New Economy - Changing Patterns of Work, Care and Public Policy in Europe and North America (Electronic book text)

'...the book presents leading-edge research on a variety of issues associated with work/life integration and gender equity. It will be of value to academic researchers and students of gender, employment and social trends, and its release in paperback should extend its accessibility.' - British Journal of Industrial Relations. '...this collection makes an important contribution to the literature on women's employment and to comparative social policy. It will be informative for graduates and researchers - and compulsory reading for policymakers.' - Judith Glover, Social Policy and Administration. 'This edited collection adds significantly to our understanding of work-life balance in the new economy...The recognition that analyses of the new economy must extend below the level of the nation-state and beyond the workplace may well be the book's most important contribution.' - Valerie Preston, Economic Geography. Contemporary societies are characterised by new and more flexible working patterns, new family structures and widening social divisions. This book explores how these macro-level changes affect the micro organisation of daily life, with reference to working patterns and gender divisions in Northern and Western Europe and the United States. Through detailed comparative analysis and case studies from France, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the US, this collection demonstrates how, despite globalisation and the spread of neo-liberalism, states still exercise some autonomy in terms of the implementation of equalities and 'city time'policies. These policies affect people's capacity to organise their daily lives and ameliorate the adverse impact of new working patterns. However, the authors also show that, despite the proliferation of work-life balance policies which potentially encourage a greater reconciliation of caring and paid work, inequalities in the distribution of paid work and caring between men and women remain remarkably resilient. Bringing together academic analysis and policy studies, Gender Divisions and Working Time in the New Economy will appeal to students and scholars of comparative social policy, economic sociology, economic geography and sociology. In particular, those with an interest in issues of employment relationships, gender, welfare states, working time, work-life balance and 'city time'will find the book to be of great value.