Home of the "new father"?
Historical perspectives on
Swedish parental leave policy
2016-03-16
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”Women’s issues” become
”jämställdhet” (1960s)
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Gender equality as redistribution of
rights and responsibilities – dual
roles for both women and men
Gender equality as consensus
building – a “win-win situation”
Gender equality as modernity – the
new father as a symbol of
“swedishness
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”Getting mum a job and making
dad pregnant” (1970s)
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1974: Paternity leave
6 month to share
 Today: 480 days (50/50)
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“daddy’s months” – “use it or
loose it”
 Men use 20 per cent
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1975: Quota debate
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”New” fatherhood as
pedagogical project
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1976: the “Hoa Hoa” campaign
13 Nation wide campaigns, 20
local campaigns (1976-2006)
National Social Insurance Office,
National Board of Health and
Welfare, Government Ministries,
Equal Opportunity Ombudsman
and many more
4
Images of fatherhood and
gender equality 1976-2000
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The competent father
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Parental leave as possibility
Freedom of choice, flexibility
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“The best of both worlds”
Male subordination
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“Tailor made solutions”
Self development, EQ
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”Silent revolution”
“Stand your ground!”
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Conclusions (1976-2000)
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Equality on male terms
Fatherhood as ”consumption”
rather than ”production”
Men as secondary parents
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Images of fatherhood and
gender equality 2001-2006
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Half each!
Parenthood, rather than fatherhood
Children’s rights
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Conclusions 2001-2006
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Men as primary, rather than
secondary parents
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2016-03-16
”Parents” rather than ”dads”
Back to the radical redistribution
logic of the 1960s
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In order to realize its full
potential as policy instrument,
paternity leave must…
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be universal
be individual (non-transferable)
be flexibly administrated (?)
offer job protection
offer substantial wage protection
Sweden and the other Nordic countries are
close to this ideal
2016-03-16
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