Women and work
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Please watch Arlie Hochschild’s discussion of women and work, what she terms the ‘Second Shift’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvzE6zYkEQY
Next watch Stephanie Coontz discusses the history of marriage and how marriage demographics are shifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8djXpoTl200
Finally, watch the documentary regarding Nepal’s orphan and international adoption industry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhIMw0ZT8mc
Write 250-word response relating the three videos to changes in the family and capitalism. How has capitalism influenced the second shift, the changing marriage demographics, and issues of adoption? What are the common threads in all of these changes to the family?
Sample Solution
The three videos explore some of the many ways in which capitalism has impacted different aspects of our lives. In Arlie Hochschild’s discussion, she explains how women have often been forced to take on a ‘second shift’ – that is, they are expected to work full-time jobs while also managing household responsibilities such as childrearing and managing the home. This phenomenon is largely due to the fact that, under capitalism, it is necessary for all able members of a family unit to contribute financially in order for it to remain economically viable. As a result, both men and women must work outside the home in order for their families to thrive – leading to an increased burden on women who not only work long hours but continue working once they return home.
Stephanie Coontz’s lecture focuses on changes in marriage demographics over time and how they have been shaped by economic factors or ‘market forces’. She notes that with increased financial independence comes greater freedom within intimate relationships; people can now choose partners who align with their values rather than simply going along with arranged marriages or unions based solely upon economics considerations. Furthermore, this newfound freedom allows individuals more options when choosing whom (and if) they wish to marry at all; recent statistics suggest that marriage is no longer seen as necessary for successful adult life as more people opt out of commitment altogether in favor of singlehood or other non-traditional partnerships/relationships.
Finally, the documentary about Nepal’s adoption industry further highlights how capitalist imperatives can lead families into difficult situations from which there may be few alternatives. The documentary reveals how poverty coupled with limited government social services leads parents into situations where selling off children becomes an attractive option due to its potential economic benefits – thus demonstrating just one consequence of living within a system wherein money reigns supreme over basic human needs such as love and security.
