At the risk of sounding frivolous, there is a good case to be made for the argument that women constitute the revolutionary force behind contemporary social and economic transformation. It is in large part the changing role of women that explains the new household structure, our altered demographic behaviour, the growth of the service economy and, as a consequence, the new dilemmas that the advanced societies face. Most European countries have failed to adapt adequately to the novel challenges and the result is an increasingly serious disequilibrium. Women explicitly desire economic independence and the societal collective, too, needs to maximise female employment. And yet, this runs up against severe incompatibility problems that then result in very low birth rates. Our aging societies need more kids, yet fertility levels are often only half of what citizens define as their desired number of children. No matter what happens in the next decade, we are doomed to have exceedingly small cohorts that, in turn, must shoulder the massive burden of supporting a retired baby-boom generation. Hence it is tantamount that tomorrow's adults be maximally productive and, yet, the typical EU member state invests very little in its children and families.

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Preface; Gosta Esping-Andersen. Acknowledgements. Notes On Authors. Table Of Contents. List Of Tables In Text. List Of Figures In Text. List Of Tables In Appendix. 1: Introduction:- Overview of Book. 2: France:- Setting The Context: French Family And Childcare Policies. Childcare Allowances: Reducing The Costs Of Childcare For Working Parents. Parental Leave And Child-Rearing Benefit. Attitudinal Studies. Workplace Policies In France. New Challenges: Is There A Predicament For Family Policy? 3: Italy:- National Social Policies. Workplace Policies-Objective Measures. Attitudinal Studies-Subjective Measures. Studies On Gender Role Attitudes. 4: Denmark:- Denmark By Numbers. Danish Rules Of Leave. Leave And The Labour. Gender And Working Life In Workplace Cultures. Scandinavian Equality Model(S). 5: Ireland:- National Social Policies. Current Status Of Family-Friendly Arrangements In Irish Workplaces. Childcare In Ireland: An Historical Perspective And Current Policy Issues. Attitudinal Studies: Changing Gender Roles And Social Policies In Ireland. 6: A Comparison Of The Four Countries: An Overview:- Women's Labour Force Participation. Relationships Between Fertility And Employment. Comparative Social Policies. Flexible Working. Gender Roles And Attitudes. Research On Fathering. Conclusion. 7: Methodology:- Method. Characteristics Of The Sample. 8: Children And Family Life:- The Effect Of The Birth Of The Youngest Child On Work And Family Life. Division Of Labour Within The Household. Childcare. Time Preferences. 9: The Workplace:- Workplace Demographics. Changes In Work Following The Birth Of The Youngest Child. Potential For Flexibility. Perceptions Of Workplace Attitudes. Workplace Policies. 10: Combining Work And Family Life:- Reconciling Work And Family. Well-Being. Correlates Of Well-Being. 11: Summary And Discussion:- Background. The Study. Children And Family Life. The Workplace. Combining Work And Family Life. Conclusions And Social Policy Implications. Appendix A: Tables. Appendix B: Questionnaire. References. Author Index. Index.