Episode 241: The Helen Lewis Holiday Extravaganza

Published in 1989, 'The Second Shift' by Arlie Russell Hochschild and Anne Machung investigates the balance of domestic duties in two-earner families. The book is based on intensive interviews with 50 couples and observations in a dozen homes during the 1970s and 1980s. It exposes the gap between ideology and practice in gender roles, showing that despite women's entry into the workforce, they still bear the majority of household and childcare responsibilities. The authors identify three marital role constructs: traditional, transitional, and egalitarian, and discuss the emotional and social implications of these roles on couples. The book highlights issues such as marital tension, feelings of guilt and inadequacy, and the lack of change in men's roles despite women's increased participation in the workforce.