Anália Torres | Rui Brites | Bernardo Coelho | Inês Cardoso | Paula Jerónimo

Family and gender in EuropeTrends of convergence and divergence comparing countries

Diversity in Europe, same pathways from different starting points and dynamics, specific configurations.

European trends in family and gender relations

Women’s search for autonomy and gender equality

Valuing feelings and emotions

Secularization

Individualization

To understand those differences between countries we need to account for:1. Structural, institutional,cultural contexts;2. Dynamics of change in specific countries.

Valuing feelings and emotions

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

No

rwa

y

Sw

eden

Fin

lan

d

Den

mar

k

UK

Fra

nce

Ger

man

y

Au

str

ia

Net

he

rla

nd

s

Bel

giu

m

Lu

xem

bo

urg

Sw

itze

rlan

d

Ire

lan

d

Hu

ng

ary

Cze

ch

Rep

Po

lan

d

Slo

ven

ia

Ita

ly

Sp

ain

Po

rtu

gal

Gre

ece

Family Friends Leisure timePolitics Work ReligionVoluntary organizacions Centre of scale

Extremely

unimportant

Extremely

important

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

No

rwa

y

Sw

eden

Fin

lan

d

Den

mar

k

UK

Fra

nce

Ger

man

y

Au

str

ia

Net

he

rla

nd

s

Bel

giu

m

Lu

xem

bo

urg

Sw

itze

rlan

d

Ire

lan

d

Hu

ng

ary

Cze

ch

Rep

Po

lan

d

Slo

ven

ia

Ita

ly

Sp

ain

Po

rtu

gal

Gre

ece

FamilyFamily FriendsFriends Leisure timeLeisure timePoliticsPolitics WorkWork ReligionReligionVoluntary organizacionsVoluntary organizacions Centre of scale

Extremely

unimportant

Extremely

important

ESS (round 1) 2002

Contradicting stereotypes:

1. individuals value family and emotional dimensions.

2. Common values in Europe shared by the majority of the countries.

Women’s search for autonomy and gender equality

0,000,501,001,502,002,503,003,504,004,505,005,506,00

Nor

way

Swed

en

Finl

and

Den

mar

k

UK

Ger

man

y

Fran

ce

Aus

tria

Net

herl

ands

Belg

ium

Switz

erla

nd

Irel

and

Hun

gary

Pola

nd

Slov

enia

Slov

akia

Esto

nia

Bulg

aria

Ukr

aine

Cypr

us

Russ

ia

Spai

n

Port

ugal

Interesting(men) Stressful (men)Interesting(women) Stressful (women)

How much of the time do you find your job

interesting and stressful

ESS (round 3) 2006

0,00

0,50

1,00

1,50

2,00

2,50

3,00

3,50

4,00

4,50

5,00

5,50

6,00

Nor

way

Swed

en

Finl

and

Den

mar

k

UK

Ger

man

y

Fran

ce

Aus

tria

Net

herl

ands

Belg

ium

Switz

erla

nd

Irel

and

Hun

gary

Pola

nd

Slov

enia

Slov

akia

Esto

nia

Bulg

aria

Ukr

aine

Cypr

us

Russ

ia

Spai

n

Port

ugal

Enjoyable (men) stressful (men)

Enjoyable (women) stressful (women)

How much of the time spent with your immediate family is enjoyable and stressful

0,0

10,0

20,0

30,0

40,0

50,0

60,0

70,0

80,0

90,0

100,0

Sw

eden

Finl

and

Den

mar

k

Gre

at B

ritai

n

Fran

ce

Ger

man

y

Aus

tria

Net

herla

nds

Bel

gium

Irela

nd Italy

Spa

in

Por

tuga

l

Gre

ece

Cze

ch R

ep

Est

onia

Hun

gary

Latv

ia

Lith

uani

a

Pol

and

Slo

vaki

a

Slo

veni

a

Bul

garia

Rom

ania

Turk

ey

All

coun

tries

The work I do is an important part of my life (Men)The work I do is an important part of my life (Women)I would continue working even if I did not need the money anymore (Men)I would continue working even if I did not need the money anymore (Women)

0,0

10,0

20,0

30,0

40,0

50,0

60,0

70,0

80,0

90,0

100,0

Sw

eden

Finl

and

Den

mar

k

Gre

at B

ritai

n

Fran

ce

Ger

man

y

Aus

tria

Net

herla

nds

Bel

gium

Irela

nd Italy

Spa

in

Por

tuga

l

Gre

ece

Cze

ch R

ep

Est

onia

Hun

gary

Latv

ia

Lith

uani

a

Pol

and

Slo

vaki

a

Slo

veni

a

Bul

garia

Rom

ania

Turk

ey

All

coun

tries

The work I do is an important part of my life (Men)The work I do is an important part of my life (Women)I would continue working even if I did not need the money anymore (Men)I would continue working even if I did not need the money anymore (Women)

EB 60.3 and CCEB 2003

Work attachment for men and women (%)

ESS (round 3) 2006

Equal patterns of satisfaction and stress in work between men and women.

Both for men and women work time is always perceived as more interesting than stressful.

- Work as main sphere of investment both for men and women.

Both for men and women time spent with family is more enjoyable than stressful

Contradicting stereotypes, women tend to attribute the same importance to work as men do. Work is a value in itself, making part of a feminine social identity.

The discrepancies between the sexes are far narrower than the differences between countries.

New meanings of the family in Europe

ESS (Round 2), 2004

c

Great consensus in the ideological plan: Europeans tend to adopt an equalitarian perspective and reject a traditional vision of men’s and women’s roles in the family.

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

4,0

4,5

5,0

Nor

way

Sw

eden

Finl

and

Den

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Ger

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and

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men w omenSeries3

agree strongly

disagree strongly

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

4,0

4,5

5,0

Nor

way

Swed

enFi

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Icel

and

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Fran

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any

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gium

Luxe

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urg

Switz

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ndIre

land

Hun

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Cze

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land

Slov

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Slov

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Esto

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Spai

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alG

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e

men w omenSeries3

agree strongly

disagree strongly

A person’s family ought to be his or her main priority in life

Men should take as much responsibility as women for the home and children

ESS (round 2)

2004 ESS (round 2) 2004

A woman should be prepared to cut down on her paid work for the sake of her family

When jobs are scarce, men should have more right to a job than women

1,00

1,50

2,00

2,50

3,00

3,50

4,00

4,50

5,00

Norw

aySw

eden

Finlan

dDe

nmar

kIce

land UK

Fran

ceGe

rman

yAu

stria

Neth

erlan

dsBe

lgium

Luxe

mbo

urg

Switz

erlan

dIre

land

Hung

ary

Czec

h Rep

ublic

Polan

dSlo

veni

aSlo

vakia

Esto

nia

Spain

Portu

gal

Gree

ce

Men Women

strongly agree

agree

strongly disagree

agree

neither agreenor disagree

disagree

1,00

1,50

2,00

2,50

3,00

3,50

4,00

4,50

5,00

Norw

aySw

eden

Finlan

dDe

nmar

kIce

land UK

Fran

ceGe

rman

yAu

stria

Neth

erlan

dsBe

lgium

Luxe

mbo

urg

Switz

erlan

dIre

land

Hung

ary

Czec

h Rep

ublic

Polan

dSlo

veni

aSlo

vakia

Esto

nia

Spain

Portu

gal

Gree

ce

Men Women

strongly agree

agree

strongly disagree

agree

neither agreenor disagree

disagree

ESS (round 2)

2004 ESS (round 2)

2004

Gender Roles by Men / Fathers, and women / mothers and Country

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

4,0

4,5

5,0

No

rway

Sw

ed

en

Fin

lan

d

Den

mark

Icela

nd

Un

ited

Kin

gd

om

Fra

nce

Germ

an

y

Au

str

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an

ds

Belg

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Sw

itzerl

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d

Irela

nd

Hu

ng

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Czech

Rep

ub

lic

Po

lan

d

Slo

ven

ia

Slo

vakia

Esto

nia

Sp

ain

Po

rtu

gal

Gre

ece

men without children under 12 fathers of children under 12women without children under 12 mothers of children under 12

+

_

ESS (round 2) 2004

Gender Roles Index: “A woman should be prepared to cut down on her paid work for the sake of her family”; “Men should take as much responsibility as women for the home and children”; “When jobs are scarce, men should have more right to a job than women”; “When there are children in the home, parents should stay together even if they don’t get along”.

*Variance explained = 44,834%; α = 0,588Country: F(22, 41590) = 245,264, p < 0,000, ETA2=0,115 Gender: F(1, 41529) = 635,814, p < 0,000, ETA2=0,015

Gender roles in the family are perceived slightly differently by men without children and men with children under 12.

Structural, cultural and institutional constraints can explain differences among European countries.

In a cross country perspective women tend to be more egalitarian than men.

Egalitarianism tend to decrease from Nordic countries, to continental Europe and to the Southern and eastern European countries.

But country differences are more important than differences between men and fathers. The same can be said about women and mothers of children under 12.

Gender Roles IndicatorsHierarchical Cluster Analysis (Ward Method) by Gender relations in the family

Germany 8 Austria 9 Spain 22 Switzerland 13 Slovakia 19 Portugal 23 Ireland 14 Slovenia 18 United Kingdom 6 Luxembourg 12 Estonia 20 France 7 Czech Republic 16 Poland 17 Greece 24 Hungary 15 Ukraine 21 Netherlands 10 Belgium 11 Finland 3 Iceland 5 Sweden 2 Denmark 4 Norway 1

INT

ER

ME

DIA

RY

TR

AD

ICIO

NA

LE

GA

LIT

AR

IAN

ESS (round 2) 2004

• The transformations of the family in Europe follows the same patterns but with calendar differences and cultural variants.

• Each region have particular configurations and combinations between the old and the new. It still makes sense, analytically, to differentiate between the northern and the southern European countries (although there are also internal differences within the groups of countries).

• Long term structural dynamics in each country. But also conjuncture effects, changes in politics and policies, the strength of feminist movements…

• Portugal. The effect of Colonial War. But also young people leaving home soon to marry (less skilled, less educated..)

• Eastern countries. (The cry of revenge... U.Beck) • Germany. Doing it all differently from the East…• U. Kingdom. Changes from 1997 on.• Spain and Finland. Both with high young people unemployment rate but

with different fertility rates and policies.

Multiple Regression, dependent variable: Gender Roles Index

Education and sex are the stronger predictors:

- The higher educated are more egalitarian and being a woman also means having more egalitarian values.

Sw

eden

Net

herla

nds

UK

Fran

ce

Aus

tria

Spa

in

Por

tuga

l

Cze

ch R

ep.

Gre

ece

Adjusted R2 .094 .070 .068 .124 .103 .254 .147 .084 .208 Years Education Completed ,236*** ,241*** ,145*** ,288*** ,181*** ,458*** ,262*** ,209*** ,333***

Income - - ,119*** - - - ,197*** - - Sexa ,123*** ,119*** ,074* ,066* ,193*** ,135*** ,101* ,187*** ,284*** Working hours (week) - - - - - -,103* - - -,061*

Living alone - - - - -,085* -,103* - - Chidless Couple - - - - -,170*** - - -

Couple with children - - - - -,122* - - -

Hou

seho

ld T

ypeb

Lone parent ,066* ,118*** ,097* - ,083* ,089** - * p< 0,05; **p< 0,001; *** p< 0,0001. aldummy variable: 0=men, 1=women b dummy variable: reference: “Other”

Spain

Years of completed education have a special impact on gender role index

Greece

France

Sex

Education

Economic resources

Women are more gender equalitarian

Austria

Czech Republic

Sweeden

Netherlands

Higher the income more equalitarian

Portugal UK

010

20304050

607080

90100

No

rway

Sw

eden

Fin

lan

d

Den

mar

k UK

Ger

man

y

Bel

giu

m

Sw

itze

rlan

d

Hu

ng

ary

Po

lan

d

Slo

ven

ia

Slo

vaki

a

Est

on

ia

Bu

lgar

ia

Sp

ain

Po

rtu

gal

Cyp

rus

Ru

ssia

about w omen about men

Have a full-time job while she/he has children aged under 3 (% approve + strongly

approve)

Clear different pattern for mothers and for fathers.

Persistent feminization of caring responsabilities.

For men there is no question:

Very strong approval across Europe.

For women:

Very high approval: Nordic (except Sweden);

Moderate approval: Belgium, Poland Slovenia, Spain, Portugal.

Very low approval: UK, Germany, Switzerland, Estonia, Russia.

0,00

10,00

20,00

30,00

40,00

50,00

60,00

70,00

80,00

90,00

100,00

Esto

nia

Hun

gary

Rus

sia

Slov

akia UK

Bul

garia

Switz

erla

nd

Pola

nd

Ger

man

y

Bel

gium

Spai

n

Cyp

rus

Finl

and

Den

mar

k

Slov

enia

Nor

way

Port

ugal

Swed

en

ESS (round 3) 2006

Parenthood – work gender discrimination (%)

Strong differences among european countries:

- Nordic countries and Portugal more equalitarian.

Persistence of traditional orientations to work and care in many european countries:

- Feminization of care.

Conclusions

Both men and women agree that family and paid work are important.

The importance of feelings and emotional life is globally stressed - family, friends, leisure.

Family is a sphere of personal investment both for men and women.

What is changing is the family models, the meanings and forms of investment in the family.

Women want to invest in both fronts, family and work.

But in the majority of the countries they have to pay a price for maintaining both investments.

Gender equality is continually at stake.

Across Europe women assume more modern positions than men, especially accounting for family gender roles.

Persistent gender values (feminization of care):Some european countries with high levels of gender discrimination about the orientations between work and care when children under 3.

The transformations of the family in Europe follow the same patterns but with calendar differences and cultural variants.

It still makes sense, analytically, to differentiate between the northern and the southern European countries (although there are also internal differences within the groups of countries).

Family is not more important in the southern countries than in other countries european countries or regions.

Strucutrual constraints are important for the definition of more modern and equalitarian gender roles.

Education Sex Economic resources

Each region has particular configurations and combinations.

Country cluster show nordic countries consistently equalitarian.

extras

Have a full-time job while she/he has children aged under 3

(% approve + strongly approve)

Clear different pattern for mothers and for fathers.

For women:

Very high approval: Nordic (except Sweden);

Moderate approval: Belgium, Poland Slovenia, Spain, Portugal;

Very low approval: UK, Germany,

Switzerland, Estonia, Russia

ESS (round 3) 2006

010

20304050

607080

90100

No

rway

Sw

ed

en

Fin

lan

d

Den

mark

UK

Germ

an

y

Belg

ium

Sw

itzerl

an

d

Hu

ng

ary

Po

lan

d

Slo

ven

ia

Slo

vakia

Esto

nia

Bu

lgari

a

Sp

ain

Po

rtu

gal

Cyp

rus

Ru

ssia

about w omen about men

Country: F(18, 34291) = 178,669; p < 0,000, ETA2 = 0,086Gender: F(1, 34285) = 2,111; p = n.s.

Parenthood – work gender discrimination index *(%)

0,00

10,00

20,00

30,00

40,00

50,00

60,00

70,00

80,00

90,00

100,00

Esto

nia

Hun

gary

Rus

sia

Slov

akia U

K

Bul

garia

Switz

erla

nd

Pola

nd

Ger

man

y

Bel

gium

Spai

n

Cyp

rus

Finl

and

Den

mar

k

Slov

enia

Nor

way

Port

ugal

Swed

en

ESS (round 3) 2006

* “Have a full-time job while she/he has children aged under 3” (% approve + strongly approve)

About men – About women

Strong differences among european countries:

- Nordic countries and Portugal more equalitarian.

Persistence of traditional orientations to work and care in many european countries:

- Feminization of care.

4,8 5,0 5,2 5,4

10

20

30

40

50

60

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

WNorway

Sweden

FinlândiDenmark

UK

Germany

France

Austria

Netherlands

Belgium

Switzerland

Irleland

Hungary

Poland

Slovenia

Slovakia

Estonia

Bulgaria

Ukraine

Cyprus

Russia

Spain

Portugal

Pare

ntho

od –

wor

k di

scrim

inat

ion

inde

x(%

)

Time spent with family is enjoyable

Low level of gender discrimination in relation to parenthood and work, higher is the level of satisfaction with time spent with family.

Choose never to have children (women about women)

ESS (round 3) 2006

ESS (round 3) 2006

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

No

rway

Sw

ed

en

Fin

lan

d

Den

mark

UK

Germ

an

y

Belg

ium

Sw

itzerl

an

d

Hu

ng

ary

Po

lan

d

Slo

ven

ia

Slo

vakia

Esto

nia

Bu

lgari

a

Sp

ain

Po

rtu

gal

Cyp

rus

Ru

ssia

strongly disapprove + disapprove neither approve nor disapprove approve + strongly approve

Neither approve nor disapprove with very high values in:

UK, Germany, Switzerland and Portugal