Reconsidering time at home and work.
9/1/2003
Even though social norms have greatly changed since the 1950s when familial roles were rigidly defined by gender, the issue of work/life balance is a problem that most American families continue to face. Phyllis Moen, editor of It's About Time: Couples and Careers, suggests that while it typically comes down to women having to choose between work careers and family careers, we might well imagine alternatives to this scenario. Moen, professor of Life Course Studies and sociology, at Cornell University, brings together a compelling volume that argues for a transformation in the way American society and its institutions think about and structure time. Based on comprehensive data of the Cornell Couples and Career Study (including focus group and individual interviews, a telephone survey of working couples, and interviews with human resource staff at particular firms), the book examines the dynamic of work and family life from the perspective of time. It's About Time is a significant contribution to the study of work/life balance that will influence and inform the way we think about our roles at home and at work.