The Care Work in the United States working group examines the social and economic implications of how care (child care, elder care, care for the disabled) is provided to dependent populations in the U.S. today. As women have moved into the formal labor force in large numbers over the last forty years, care work—traditionally provided primarily by women—has also shifted increasingly from the family arena into the formal economy. The working group will tackle the difficult policy problems that arise from the fact that market care is not a perfect substitute for family care. Drawing on diverse disciplines, areas of expertise, and methodological orientations, the working group aims to develop an innovative research agenda that provides a theoretically unified and empirically substantive analysis of care provision in the United States.
Summary
The Care Work in the United States working group examines the social and economic implications of how care (child care, elder care, care for the disabled) is provided to dependent populations in the U.S. today. As women have moved into the formal labor force in large numbers over the last forty years, care work—traditionally provided primarily by women—has also shifted increasingly from the family arena into the formal economy. The working group will tackle the difficult policy problems that arise from the fact that market care is not a perfect substitute for family care.
Program Type