This article analyzes changes in the division of routine domestic work after first parenthood. We wanted to know whether and how it was possible for couples to resist the trend toward traditionalization that has been shown in the literature. To do so, we analyze semistructured interviews with 27 Spanish couples who were expecting their first child in 2011 and interviewed them again in 2013. The couples were selected from a bigger sample because of their nontraditional practices preparenthood. Our results show that 17 of them were able to maintain a nontraditional division of domestic work, whereas 10 traditionalized. In our analysis, relative resources and time availability did not sufficiently explain the changes in the division of work, but specific characteristics of the division of work before childbirth—men’s active participation, the routinization of tasks, and flexible standards—emerged as key factors to resist the trend toward more traditional arrangements.

This article analyses the role of gender, parenthood, and work flexibility measures and the mediating role of stereotypes on the likelihood of achieving an internal promotion in Spain. We hypothesize that employers favour fathers over mothers and disfavour flexible workers (flexibility stigma) because they are perceived, respectively, as less competent and less committed. We also hypothesize that employers reflect their gender values in the selection process. These hypotheses are tested using data from a survey experiment in which 71 supervisors from private companies evaluate 426 short vignettes describing six different candidates for promotion into positions that require decision-making and team supervision skills. Several candidate characteristics are experimentally manipulated, while others such as skills and experience in the company are kept constant to minimize the risk of statistical discrimination. Contrary to our expectations, fathers are not preferred in promotion, as they are not perceived as being more competent than mothers. However, we find that flexibility leads to lower promotion scores, partly due to its association with a lack of commitment. Although the statutory right to reduce working hours for care reasons seems a major social achievement, this experiment shows that mothers may be indirectly penalized, as they are the main users of this policy.

This article explores why women delay childbearing and increase their likelihood to remain childless in Spain, Italy, West Germany and France. We take a macro-micro perspective and show that national institutions influence women's life transitions, in particular partnership and motherhood. For coupled women, we find two alternative modes out of childlessness. In countries with high direct and indirect child costs, like Spain and Italy, entering a male-breadwinner couple or occupying a stable and high-income position facilitates motherhood, while in the French context motherhood is most likely in a dual-earner partnership.Keywords Childlessness AE family formation AE European comparative analysis Ré sumé: Cet article explore les raisons pour lesquelles les femmes retardent la procré ation au risque de ne pas avoir d'enfants, en Espagne, Italie, Allemagne de l'Ouest et France. A l'aide d'une perspective macro-micro, nous dé montrons que les politiques nationales influencent les transitions dans la vie des femmes, et notamment la mise en couple et la maternité . Pour les femmes en couple, il y a deux façons de faire la transition vers le premier enfant. Dans les pays où les coû ts directs et indirects de l'enfant sont é levé s, comme l'Italie et l'Espagne, le fait de devenir femme au foyer avec un conjoint qui travaille, ou encore d'occuper une position professionnelle stable et bien ré muné ré e facilite la maternité , alors que dans le contexte de la France, la maternité est plus probable dans le cadre de couples bi-actifs.Mots-clés non-maternité AE formation des familles AE perspective comparative europé enne M.-J. Gonzá lez Departament de Ciè ncies Polítiques i Socials, UPF, Edifici Jaume I -Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27,

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