Affiliation:
1. Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the Centre for Family and Population Research, National University of Singapore
2. School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University
Abstract
Abstract
It has been extensively debated over whether the rise of flexible working arrangements (FWAs) may be an “opportunity” for a more egalitarian gender division of household labor or reinforce the “exploitation” of women in the traditional gender division. Drawing on a linked-lives perspective, this study contributes to the literature by using longitudinal couple-level dyadic data in the UK (2010–2020) to examine how couple-level arrangements of flexible working affect within-couple inequality in time and different types of household labor. The results show that among heterosexual couples, women’s use of FWAs significantly intensifies their disproportionate share of housework and maintains their heavy childcare burden regardless of whether their husbands use FWAs. In contrast, men’s use of FWAs does not change the unequal gendered division of housework and childcare, even when their wives do not use any FWAs. These patterns of intensified gender inequalities are more pronounced in routine housework tasks (e.g., cooking, washing, and cleaning), and among the reduced hours and teleworking arrangements. Overall, rather than providing an “opportunity” for a more egalitarian division of household labor, the use of FWAs maintains or even exacerbates the “exploitation” of women under the existing traditional gender norms.
Funder
National University of Singapore Assistant Professor Start-up Grant
Centre for Family and Population Research Faculty Development Grant
Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund Tier 1
Centre for Family and Population Research Seminar Series at the National University of Singapore
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Sociology and Political Science,Anthropology,History