women, child welfare, and the state, 1890-1930
Author: Molly Ladd-Taylor
ISBN: 9780252020445
Early in the twentieth century, maternal and child welfare evolved from a private family responsibility into a matter of national policy. Women played the central role in this development. In Mother-Work, Molly Ladd-Taylor explores both the private and public aspects of childrearing, using the direct relationship between them to shed new light on the histories of motherhood, the welfare state, and women's activism in the United States.Mother-work, defined as "women's unpaid work of reproduction and caregiving," was the motivation behind women's public activism and "maternalist" ideology. Ladd-Taylor emphasizes the connection between mother-work and social welfare politics by showing that their mothering experiences led women to become active in the development of public health, education, and welfare services. In turn, the advent of these services altered mothering experiences in a number of ways, including by reducing the infant mortality rate.By examining women's activism in organiza
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Publish Date: 1994-02
Subjects: Child rearing - United States - History, Child rearing/ United States/ History, Child rearing, Child welfare - United States - History, Child welfare/ United States/ History, Child welfare, Motherhood - United States - History, Motherhood/ United States/ History, Motherhood, Family & Relationships / Parenting / Motherhood, Political Science / Public Policy / Social Services & Welfare, Social Science / General, Social Science / Women's Studies
This book is available in the following Community Centers: Women's Center (Location: History)