Sociology is the systematic study of society and social interaction. In order to carry out their studies, sociologists identify cultural patterns and social forces and determine how they affect individuals and groups. They also develop ways to apply their findings to the real world.
enriching contact with others and become cold, callous, indifferent, impatient, and
blasé.
Making Connections: Social Policy & Debate
How Do Working Moms Impact Society?
What constitutes a “typical family” in Canada has changed tremendously over the past decades.
One of the most notable changes has been the increasing number of mothers who work outside the
home. Earlier in Canadian society, most family households consisted of one parent working
outside the home and the other being the primary child care provider. Because of traditional gender
roles and family structures, this was typically a working father and a stay-at-home mom. Research
shows that in 1951 only 24 percent of all women worked outside the home (Li 1996). In 2009,
58.3 percent of all women did, and 64.4 percent of women with children younger than three years
of age were employed (Statistics Canada 2011).
Sociologists interested in this topic might approach its study from a variety of angles. One might
be interested in its impact on a child’s development, another may explore its effect on family
income, while a third might examine how other social institutions have responded to this shift in
society. A sociologist studying the impact of working mothers on a child’s development might ask
questions about children raised in child care settings. How is a child socialized differently when
raised largely by a child care provider rather than a parent? Do early experiences in a school-like
child care setting lead to improved academic performance later in life? How does a child with two
working parents perceive gender roles compared to a child raised with a stay-at home parent?
Another sociologist might be interested in the increase in working mothers from an economic
perspective. Why do so many households today have dual incomes? Has this changed the income
of families substantially? How do women’s dual roles in the household and in the wider economy
affect their occupational achievements and ability to participate on an equal basis with men in the
workforce? What impact does the larger economy play in the economic conditions of an individual
household? Do people view money—savings, spending, debt— differently than they have in the
past?
Curiosity about this trend’s influence on social institutions might lead a researcher to explore its
effect on the nation’s educational and child care systems. Has the increase in working mothers
shifted traditional family responsibilities onto schools, such as providing lunch and even breakfast
for students? How does the creation of after-school care programs shift resources away from
traditional school programs? What would the effect be of providing a universal, subsidized child
care program on the ability of women to pursue uninterrupted careers?
As these examples show, sociologists study many real-world topics. Their research often influences
social policies and political issues. Results from sociological studies on this topic might play a role
in developing federal policies like the Employment Insurance maternity and parental benefits
program, or they might bolster the efforts of an advocacy group striving to reduce social stigmas
placed on stay-at-home dads, or they might help governments determine how to best allocate
funding for education. Many European countries like Sweden have substantial family support
policies, such as a full year of parental leave at 80 percent of wages when a child is born and
heavily subsidized, high-quality daycare and preschool programs. In Canada, a national subsidized
daycare program existed briefly in 2005 but was scrapped in 2006 by the Conservative government
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