Researching the gender division of unpaid domestic work: practices, relationships, negotiations, and meanings

Warren, Tracey

Abstract

The paper focuses on the potential of quantitative research methods for sociologists who research the gender division of unpaid domestic work. To begin, it reflects on the emergence of the sociological interest in unpaid domestic work and identifies an early core concern with making invisible work visible. It is argued that quantitative research methods provide us with the most valuable opportunities for ‘recognising’ unpaid domestic work since they facilitate larger scale representative projects. However the data in most of the large scale surveys are scant, and fail to reflect developments in the conceptualisation of unpaid domestic work. Four areas of concern to contemporary sociology are identified: domestic work practices, relationships, negotiations and meanings. Given the complex questions that these four sub- topics raise, the paper proposes a range of sub-areas as a focus for ongoing sociological research into unpaid domestic work. It is concluded that despite the methodological challenges presented, detailed indicators of the multiple dimensions of unpaid domestic work need to be agreed so that valid information can be collected as routinely in large scale surveys as are those on paid work.

Citation

Warren, T. (2011). Researching the gender division of unpaid domestic work: practices, relationships, negotiations, and meanings. Sociological Review, 59(1), https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-954X.2010.01993.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2011
• Deposit Date: Jul 22, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 22, 2015
• Journal: Sociological Review
• Print ISSN: 0038-0261
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-954X
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-954X.2010.01993.x
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1010271
• Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-954X.2010.01993.x/abstract
• Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Warren, T. Researching the gender division of unpaid domestic work: practices, relationships, negotiations, and meanings, Sociological Review 59(1), 129-148, Feb. 2011, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-954X.2010.01993.x. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.