Parental Constructions of Masculinity at the Transition to Parenthood: The Division of Parental Leave among Austrian Couples

Autor(en)

Eva-Maria Schmidt, Irene Rieder, Ulrike Zartler, Cornelia Schadler, Rudolf Richter

Abstrakt

Men and masculinity are considered a key factor in changing gender inequality at the transition to parenthood. Prior research on gendered division of parental leave concentrated on fathers’ perspectives. This paper includes perspectives of fathers and mothers who make use of parental leave in different ways and asks how masculinity is jointly constructed, how these constructions are linked to the use of parental leave, and if and how they are oriented towards hegemonic masculinity. The analysis is based on 44 qualitative interviews with 11 Austrian couples before and after birth when decisions concerning parental leave were made. Our case reconstructions reveal that parents considered parental leave a central element of masculinity as long as it suited fathers’ needs and circumstances permitted. The decisions for sharing parental leave were fathercentred as both partners valued father’s leave higher than mother’s.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Soziologie

Journal

International Review of Sociology

Band

25

Seiten

373-386

Anzahl der Seiten

14

ISSN

0390-6701

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/03906701.2015.1078532

Publikationsdatum

10-2015

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

504014 Gender Studies, 504011 Familienforschung

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Sociology and Political Science

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 5 – Geschlechtergleichheit

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/3bfbd45b-257c-433b-8f3b-15fd1adfdd0d