Open AccessMOTHERING DESKILLED? AUSTRALIAN CHILDREARING AND THE ‘EXPERTS’
Author(s) -
Reiger Kerreen
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
community health studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 0314-9021
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-6405.1986.tb00077.x
Subject(s) - middle class , developmental psychology , social class , sociology , psychology , child rearing , gender studies , political science , law
Summary A redefinition of family relationships in increasingly psychological terms has been an important development in industrial capitalist societies since the nineteenth century. This paper explores the role of professional ‘experts’, especially doctors, psychologists, kindergarteners and the like, in changing patterns of childrearing and possibly increasing stress on parents. The implications for women have been considerable. As mothers, they have borne the brunt of the professionals' advice, but they have also entered the professions and formed lay groups concerned with particular aspects of childbearing and rearing. The paper discusses the theoretical significance of these developments in terms of understanding the role of the professional middle class in social change.