Paper
The Reproduction of Mothering
Published Oct 22, 2012 · L. Fischer
395
Citations
26
Influential Citations
Abstract
Discussions about the " nature " of mothering and the role of social forces in the reproduction of the values entrenched within it go to the heart of current debates about the position of women in the 21 st century. In this context, the concept itself takes on a normative dimension which serves to construct gender power hierarchies. Nancy Chodorow's 1978 book – The Reproduction of Mothering – explores these dynamics in detail, looking at how women learn to be mothers and how their actions reproduce the values associated with this function. Chodorow seeks to uncover how the social function of reproduction defines social relations. Starting from the assumption that 'women's mothering is one of the few universal and enduring elements of the sexual division of labour' (Chodorow, 1978: 3), she argues that that 'women's mothering as an organisation of parenting is embedded in and fundamental to the social organisation of gender' (Chodorow, 1978: 34). Chodorow's work poses a significant challenge to the accepted naturalness of women's role as carers. Over the last thirty years, it has helped to uncover the function of social, political and economic institutions in constructing the norms associated with mothering. Ultimately, her analysis has helped feminist scholars to raise important questions about the interaction between the public and the private sphere, as well as the social construction of gender norms. Adrienne Rich's (1977) book Of a Woman Born also provides a narrative for the complex web of forces and interactions that are entrenched within the (political) institution of motherhood. She argues that political and economic institutions use the ideology of motherhood to define or limit women's role in society. Through this process mothering becomes a vehicle for the reproduction of patriarchal structures. This ideological framework is in turn internalised by women, thus providing legitimacy to this economically and culturally defined interpretation of the role. As a result, it shapes women's experiences and defines individual expectations of women's contributions to society. As Rich (1977: 42) explains, 'the institution of motherhood is not identical with bearing and caring for children ...', but the widely accepted view that the two are inextricably linked serves to normalise women's experiences, thus helping to construct and maintain power hierarchies. These two scholars present a powerful challenge to " traditional " constructions of women's mothering and the role it plays in maintaining gender power structures. They draw attention to the fact that …
Women's mothering is fundamental to the social organization of gender, and its role in maintaining power hierarchies can be challenged by examining its social, political, and economic context.
Full text analysis coming soon...