Book Review: Gender and Domestic Life: Changing Practices in Families and Households

Abstract

GENDER AND DOMESTIC LIFE: CHANGING PRACTICES IN FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS Tony Chapman Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, 249 pp. (paperback). Gender and Domestic Life begins from the premise that change and diversity are defining features of contemporary relationships. As such, the old accounts no longer fit people's experiences of domestic life. This book is offered as a corrective to the dominant, feminist approaches that have failed to acknowledge significant changes. Tony Chapman aims to present a more relevant perspective, one that is neither static nor pessimistic, that addresses multiple household structures, sees the home as more than a site of exploitation, and takes men's roles seriously. In doing so, Chapman provides a potted history of domestic life in various historical and cultural contexts and at different stages of the life course. A list of chapters provides some indication of the breadth of this book. Chapters 1 and 2 set up Chapman's premises and approach; Chapter 3 describes the beginnings of the separation of domestic and public spheres; Chapters 4 through 6 are built on accounts of breadwinners, homemakers and contemporary household practices and negotiations. The later chapters then present information on 'alternative' household structures: communes, migrants, gay and lesbian relationships, single people, and those who have retired. Finally, the conclusion reiterates Chapman's expectations for change. The diversity of topics makes for some fascinating reading. The historical studies serve a dual purpose of tracing the origins of contemporary practices and ideologies and opening a window onto the exotic behaviours of the past. Chapman is also generous with his inclusion of contemporary ethnographic data (he presents no new research). The extended quotes, while familiar from previous studies, remain an interesting way of exemplifying a point. And so at one level, the book is a good read. However, although enjoyable, Gender and Domestic Life is flawed. Some of the problems arise from its ambitious scope. Chapman jumps from one topic to another as he spans historical periods, cultural contexts, household types and a variety of domestic and paid-work practices. As a result, the aim of moving beyond the traditional focus on heterosexual cohabitation is only partially fulfilled: gay and lesbian households are allocated half a chapter, sharing the space with migrant families; a discussion on single people covers the social position of, and job opportunities for, Victorian spinsters, contemporary media representations of 'singletons' of the Bridget Jones variety, and the emotions of divorced and separated men and women. …