Models of the Family in Modern Societies : Ideals and Realities - Softcover

This book reports on two comparative nationally representative surveys of men and women in Britain and Spain, two countries chosen to illustrate the diversity of modern European societies. The British survey was funded within the ESRC Future of Work Research Programme and was carried out by the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Using these surveys, Catherine Hakim presents a study of ideal models of the family and family roles, work orientations, patriarchal values, and lifestyle preferences, showing how these impact on women's marital histories, fertility, employment patterns, occupational segregation, and labour mobility, but not on men's labour market participation. Lifestyle preferences and work orientations have a strong impact on women's activities, and especially on married women's employment choices, but patriarchal values (which are most commonly studied by social attitude surveys) have virtually no impact on behaviour. The analyses demonstrate that political and religious values have virtually no connection with orientations to employment and family roles. The book also covers educational homogamy, housing classes and contrasts between ethnic minority groups in core values and labour market participation.

Dr Catherine Hakim is Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Sociology, London School of Economics. Her experience as a professional social scientist includes policy research and advice for the British Department of Employment, and consultancy work. Recent books include Key Issues in Women's Work (1996), Social Change and Innovation in the Labour Market (1998), and Work and Lifestyle Choices in the 21st Century: Preference Theory (2000).