(De)familialization and (De)genderization – Competing or Complementary Perspectives in Comparative Policy Analysis?

Abstract

This article critically engages with Saxonberg's proposal (2013) to replace the (de)familialization perspective with the (de)genderization approach in comparative family policy/regime studies. It argues: (1) there is a need to refine the term '(de)familialization' and to bring in the child's and elderly's perspective; (2) the '(de)familialization' and '(de)genderization' perspectives are mutually irreplaceable; and (3) there is a need to conceptualize the theoretical relationship between these two perspectives. The article further proposes to use the theoretical framework of Amartya Sen's Capability Approach (CA) to reinterpret both analytical perspectives with a dual advantage using that approach would lend. It first conceptualizes the de-familializing and de-genderizing policies as 'means' designed to increase peoples' 'capabilities' to achieve 'valued functionings' and not ultimate goals of policies that aim to change people's 'functionings'. Thus, it addresses the criticism of de-familialization and de-genderization as policy strategies that enforce certain, potentially controversial ideals of societal and familial relations. Second, by using crucial CA concepts, i.e. 'means', 'capabilities' and 'functionings', it refines the interpretation of policy-, regime-and outcome-oriented analyses (typologies). As a result, it clarifies the distinction between these types of analyses and highlights the advantages of both a policy approach and a redefined regime approach.

Gendering welfare state analysis: tensions between care and paid work

“…In subsequent analyses, defamilialization has been used less to investigate women's position vis-a-vis the entire welfare state and more to analyse family policies. Nonetheless, conceptualizations and measurements of defamilialization have varied widely between studies, and recently, several authors have underscored the need to reassess the extent to which defamilialization is still useful for the analysis of gender relations in the welfare state (Daly, 2011;Kurowska, 2016). In the next section, we focus on feminist contributions that have made care the starting point from which to analyse the dynamics between the system of social provision and gender relations.…”

“…The capability approach (CA) was first developed in the context of research on human development (Sen, 1992), and has since made considerable inroads into gender and social policy research (Hobson, 2013;Kurowska, 2016;Lewis and Giullari, 2005). The core claim of CA is that judgements about gender equality should not be based on the distribution of resources, but on the real opportunities that people have to choose things they value (Robeyns, 2005).…”

Varieties of liberalism: A comparative analysis of family policy and poverty outcomes across the 50 United States

“…Specifically, we measure the association between our categorisation of states' family policy and poverty outcomes among households with children. We also assess whether our indicators are likely to affect single-mother households more so than other family types, giving an insight into the economic welfare of children for which the (de)familialisation framework is of particular value (Kurowska, 2018).…”

Work and Care Opportunities under Different Parental Leave Systems: Gender and Class Inequalities in Northern Europe

“…Only few scholars highlight how parental orthodoxies, working cultures and economic constraints are key barriers to parents sharing parenting (e.g. Hobson et al ; Saxonberg ; Grönlund and Javornik ; Kurowska ). However, they do not investigate these differences within countries.…”