Summary
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WORK
WORK IN THE CONTEMPORARY UNITED STATES
Deindustrialization- a process of social and economic change resulting from the reduction of industrial activity, especially manufacturing
Globilization- the growth and spread of investment, trade, production, communication, and new technology around the world
Offshoring- the sending of work or jobs to another ocuntry to cut a company's costs at home
Social Class, Wealth, and Income: the rich are getting richer,the middle class is struggling, the working class is barely surviving
wealth- money and economic assets that a person or family owns
income- amount of money a person or family owns
HOW THE ECONOMY AFFECTS FAMILIES
Low-Wage Jobs and Nonstandard Work Hours
Part-Time Work
Unemployment
discouraged workers- wants a job and has looked for work in the preceding year but has not searched in the past 4 weeks because she or he believes that job hunting is futile
underemployed workers- people who have part-time jobs but want full-time work or whose jobs are below their experience, skill, and education levels
some effects of unemployment
Poverty: the poverty line, children and older adults, women, racial-ethnic minorities, why are people poor?
absolute poverty- not having enough money to afford the most basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter
relative poverty- not having enough money to maintain an average standard of living
feminization of poverty-the likelihood that female heads of households will be poor
Homelessness: characteristics, why families are homeless
WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE LABOR FORCE
Changes in Women's Employment
Why Do More Women Work?
Are More Women Leaving the Workplace?
ECONOMIC ROLES WITHIN MARRIAGE
Two-Person Single Career- one spouse, typically the wife, participates in the partner's career behind the scenes, without pay or direct recognition
Stay-at-Home Dads: reasons, benefits and costs
TWO-INCOME FAMILIES
Dual-Earner versus Dual-Career Families: how they differ, gender roles and parenting, some benefits and costs of two-income families
dual-earner couples- both partners work outside the home
Trailing Spouses- partner who gives up his or her work and searches for another position in the location where the spouse has taken a job: who's the trailing spouse?, what are the benefits and costs for trailing spouses?
Commuter Marriages- married partners live and work in different geographic areas and get together at various intervals, such as over weekends: why do they do it? benefits and costs of commuter marriages
When Wives Earn More
INEQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE
Women and Minorities in the Workplace
The Gender Pay Gap- income difference between genders: what are the consequences of a gender pay gap?, why is there a gender pay gap?, comparable worth: a solution to the gender pay gap?
Sexual Harassment
FAMILIES AND WORK POLICIES
Bringing Babies to Work, Flextime, and Telecommuting
flextime- a practice that allows workers to change their daily arrival and departure times
telecommuting- working from home through electronic linkups to the central office
The Pregnancy Penalty
Family and Medical Leave Policies: benefits of the FMLA, limitations of the FMLA, comparison with other countries
Care for Dependents: child care and elder care
Points of Interest
I remember a commercial that involved a child eating cookies with their father. They were both on skype and the father was saying good morning to the child and the child was saying goodnight to the father to show that they were in different time zones. I don't know what they were advertising, but it reminded me of the commuter marriages in the book.
Questions
How does everyone feel about the commuter marriages mentioned in the book? Do you think it is unfair for the children?
To answer your question I think it is pretty much the same as LAT families where the parents never live together but are still considered a couple. I think it just depends what the circumstances are that cause these marriages to have to be commuter. I personally think that a child would be confused why most kids parents live together and their parents do not, but I guess in some cases that is the only way some marriages work.
ReplyDeleteI think that viewing from a non-commuter family, it would seem unfair. We may see it as "how can the child have a healthy relationship with both parents?" However, if the kids grew up with that situation, then I think they would see it as normal. The parents are trying to give their children the best life they can through the sacrifice of not always being able to be home (such as working at a job that is far away) in order to make enough money to send them to college. So no, I don't think it is unfair to the child.
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