Are power structures and empowerment reasons for the traditional division of household tasks within couples? An inter-European comparison

Ruth Abramowski, Universität Salzburg

Comparing the division of household tasks within European countries, we observe traditional domestic behaviors within couples although egalitarian attitudes are still predominant. Which factors determine the domestic job-sharing? Considering the behavioral traditionalism, the primary research question is: How do power structures and empowerment determine the division of household tasks within couples in different European countries? The goals of this PhD project are to create a theoretical meta-analysis of central studies, to develop a theoretical typology of power dimensions, to carry out a multilevel analysis that integrates the dimensions societal empowerment and the power division within couples and to explain the division of household tasks. We argue that the division of household tasks could be explained by structural conditions, institutions, participation, cultural values, attitudes and individual differences. Analyzed are European countries using data from the Generations and Gender Programme including a contextual database with macro-level information and national Generations and Gender surveys. All European countries, as far as practically possible, for which the first and second wave of GGS data are available will be integrated in order to develop an appropriate multilevel model for longitudinal, nested data. The currently results find support that in all countries (yet analyzed: Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway) women do more housework than men. Why do women more housework than men? This question is an ongoing work in progress and will be analyzed by the multilevel model.