Stay at home mothers and the 'mommy wars' are a continuing phenomenon worldwide. This book will be the first international edited collection exploring debates and issues surrounding mothers returning to/staying at home from a variety of countries and perspectives.
Stay-at home mothering remains a significant social and gender trend. Over the last decades, there have been many books exploring questions, issues and policies surrounding working mothers. This volume explores the flip side to enable a new discussion: Why are mothers still staying at home? Which mothers? In which countries? Under what conditions? What kind of rhetoric is invoked - personal choice or political push? Which national policies benefit them? Which don't? What debates - and emotions - do they provoke?
Chapters can be written from a national perspective and can include both empirical data on mothers staying at home, including statistical trends, as well as conceptual discussion and analysis. This will enable comparison; it will also provide scope for contrasting views. The book will not be for or against stay at home mothers, though it will include debates around the topic, and, indeed, is likely to provoke them.
Topics can also include (but are not limited to):
Debates about the 'worthiness' of different mothers staying at home such as government funded teen mothers versus wealthy, older 'yummy mummies'; the 'mommy wars' between working moms and stay at home moms; maternal versus paid child care; the persistence of mothering at home and what it means; the take up of maternal (and paternal) leave; maternity payments and childcare policy; state enabling of mothers staying at home; the 'new Victorians'/the domestic goddess and the increasing idealisation of mothers at home; the leisured mother at home assisted by a (foreign worker) maid; stay at home mothers and the media; the history of mothers staying at home; generational change and visions for the future. Different viewpoints, from academics to lobby groups, are welcomed.
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