Book review: New Parents in Europe. Work-Care Practices, Gender Norms and Family Policies
| Author | Dorottya Deák |
| Date | 01 September 2020 |
| Published date | 01 September 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1388262720945400 |
| Subject Matter | Book reviews |
Waas, B. (2017) ‘Comparative overview’, in Waas, B. and Heerma van Voss, G. (eds.), Restate-
ment of Labour Law in Europe,I,The Concept of Employee, Portland: Hart, xxvii–lxvii
Reviewer Biography
Marco Biasi is an Assistant Professor of Labour Law at The University of Milan, Italy. His main
fields of research include on-demand work, dismissal protection policies, punitive damages in
employment law, vicarious liability, employee involvement in the management of companies,
statutory minimum wage policies, employment law in the sports industry.
Daniela Grunow and Marie Evertsson (eds.), New Parents in Europe. Work-Care Practices, Gender
Norms and Family Policies, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, UK – Northampton, MA, USA,
2019, 272 pages, ISBN: 978-1-78897-296-3
Reviewed by: Dorottya De´
ak, Eo
¨tvo
¨s Lor´
and University, Budapest, Hungary.
DOI: 10.1177/1388262720945400
One of the fundamentals of the efficient functioning of welfare states is finding a balance between
the birth of children, the care-taking of children and later, the parents’ participation in the labour
market. Several international comparative research studies examined gender distribution of paid
and unpaid work. These vital statistics provide us with important results connected to the empirical
presentation of gender inequalities. The volume, edited by Daniela Grunow and Marie Evertsson,
is grounded in a cross-national qualitative research project examining the impact of gender roles on
families’ economic interests, the reasons behind the rejection of provided childcare and its con-
sequences, guilt created among mothers on returning to the labour market and its impact on their
relationships, as well as child-rearing practices that are different from the general beliefs of unique
cultural settings.
The comparative data created by the incorporation of a longitudinal study design was the source
of the present research. 156 cohabiting heterosexual, dual-earning couples from eight countries,
who were expecting their first child, were selected as participants for interviews. In the first phase,
1
couples were asked during pregnancy about their views on sharing childcare responsibilities and
gainful employment. During the second phase, between six months and two years after the birth of
the child, parents who opted for a non-traditional division of labour were asked if they had
successfully implemented their previous plans. The book examines these couples applying three
analytical perspectives. First, it analyses the perspective of the interviewed couples, with a focus
on the need to develop the role of father and mother together, based on individual experiences.
Secondly, it looks at the transitional perspective on couples’ plans and changes in their
1. As a prelude to this book and as part of the presentation of the research, mention should be made of the book Transitions
to Parenthood: Analyzing Gender and Work in Europe by the same authors, a reading of which provides greater insight
into the subject, but the book discussed here is also valid in itself.
350 European Journal of Social Security 22(3)
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