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The dual strategy: Motherhood and the work contract in Scandinavia

Une double stratégie: maternité et contrat de travail en Scandinavie

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Abstract

Mothers' employment in the Scandinavian countries is generally characterised by high employment rates. At the same time the fertility level is higher than in most European countries. Scandinavian women have to a large extent developed a dual strategy towards employment and children: Most women choose to have at least two children and they continue their employment after and between births. In this paper we discuss how this dual strategy can be explained, taking the case of Norway. We argue that the strategy of Norwegian mothers is based on arrangements in working life which enable employed mothers to pursue motherhood within the work contract.

Résumé

Le travail des mères dans les pays scandinaves est généralement caractérisé par des taux d'activité élevés. En même temps, la fécondité est également plus élevée que dans la plupart des pays européens. Les femmes scandinaves ont, dans une large mesure, développé une double stratégie vis-à-vis de l'emploi et de leurs enfants: la plupart des femmes choisissent d'avoir au moins deux enfants et elles reprennent leur emploi aussitôt après ou entre les naissances. Dans cet article, nous tentons de voir comment cette double stratégie peut être expliquée, en prenant le cas de la Norvège. Nous montrons que la stratégie des femmes norvégiennes est basée sur des arrangements dans la vie active qui permettent aux femmes qui travaillent de poursuivre leur maternité dans le cadre de leur contrat de travail.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Social Research, Munthes gt. 31, N-0260, Oslo, Norway

    Anne Lise Ellingsæter

  2. Division for Social and Demographic Research, Statistics Norway, Pb 8131 Dep, N-0033, Oslo

    Marit Rønsen

Authors
  1. Anne Lise Ellingsæter
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  2. Marit Rønsen
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Ellingsæter, A.L., Rønsen, M. The dual strategy: Motherhood and the work contract in Scandinavia. Eur J Population 12, 239–260 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01797111

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