The understanding of welfare states has been much enriched by comparative work on welfare regimes and gender. This book uses these debates to illuminate the changing gender regimes in countries of Central and Eastern Europe. It has particular significance as countries in the region make the transition from communism into a European Union (EU) that has issues of women's employment, work–life balance, and gender equality at the heart of its social policy. The countries of Western Europe have, to varying degrees, been changing from a traditional male breadwinner/female carer model towards that of ... More

The understanding of welfare states has been much enriched by comparative work on welfare regimes and gender. This book uses these debates to illuminate the changing gender regimes in countries of Central and Eastern Europe. It has particular significance as countries in the region make the transition from communism into a European Union (EU) that has issues of women's employment, work–life balance, and gender equality at the heart of its social policy. The countries of Western Europe have, to varying degrees, been changing from a traditional male breadwinner/female carer model towards that of a duel earner, although in reality most are one-and-a-half, with women's paid work competing with their care work. But what is the trajectory of those countries of Central and Eastern Europe now joining the EU? The transition from communism has challenged those welfare structures that supported women in the labour market. Are these countries re-traditionalising as women's employment reduces, nurseries close and competition puts mothers at a disadvantage? The analysis draws on quantitative comparative data and on qualitative data from a new study of mothers in Polish households, illuminating the effects of changing welfare and gender relations from the perspective of those most directly affected – the mothers of young children.