1. Feminism and the Household
Access to HE – Sociology
Sara Brett

2. Objectives: Outline the next assignment brief
Introduce terms relating to the topic

3. The domestic division of labour
Refers to the roles that men and women play in relation to housework, childcare and paid work.
Sociologists are interested in whether men and women share domestic tasks equally.

4. Parsons (1955): Instrumental and Expressive Roles
Traditional family – roles of husbands and wives are segregated (separate and distinct from one another)
Husband has an instrumental role – breadwinner
Wife has an expressive role – homemaker
Parsons argues that gender division of labour is functional for the family
This is biologically based – women are naturally suited to nurturing and men to providing so everyone benefits from this specialisation.

5. The ‘March of Progress View’
This sees conjugal roles becoming more equal in modern society. Elizabeth Bott (1957) – 2 types of conjugal role:
Segregated Conjugal Roles are separate. Sharp division of labour between male breadwinner and female homemaker (ring any bells?) Husband and wife spend leisure time separately.
Joint Conjugal Roles – couples share domestic tasks and leisure
Young and Wilmott (1973) take a march of progress view. They see family life as gradually improving, becoming more equal and democratic. Move towards ‘Symmetrical Family’.

6. The development of Feminism

7. Conjugal roles: historically
What was seen as typically a woman’s role in the 1950’s before the Women’s Liberation Movement?
What was a man’s role?
What is the set-up in your household today? Is it very different to that of your parents?

8. Which conservative thinkers and politicians also hold this view?
How would feminists criticise this view?
Why is it outdated in terms of today’s society?

9. Homework: Research
Carry out research into Neo-Functionalist (Young and Wilmott), Marxist and Feminist views on the role of women in the household and make notes.
Ask members of an older generation what was expected of women when they were children. What role did their mother have in their home?
Think about the equality of division of domestic chores between men and women in your home and compare it to the home that you grew up in.