Karen A. Shire (University Duisburg-Essen)

“Family Policy Shifts and the Creation of a Market for Domestic and Care Work in Germany”

abstract

The introduction of tax credits for purchases of personal, household, and most recently elderly care services is aimed both at supporting dual-earner households and creating jobs in household services. In this talk, recent shifts in German family policy are analysed, especially in relation to how family support polices are tied to creating a new market for household services and job creation aimed at female employment. A specific focus is on the quality of employment and the specific jobs created in cleaning, childcare and eldercare, both in private homes and in the market. The research aims to contribute to understanding the effects of shifts in public welfare from state provision to markets on employment and social inequalities, especially for women, and concludes with a discussion of dualization and change in conservative familial welfare states.