Homeworking women - Annie Phizacklea

An up-to-date overview of all types of home-based work is provided in this volume, which makes an important contribution to sociological and policy debates on homeworking.

The authors argue that homeworking replicates wider divisions in the labour force and that its potential for improving womens employment opportunities is therefore limited. Using original research, they outline the advantages and disadvantages, the pay and conditions, and the family situations for contemporary women homeworkers. Gender, class, racism and ethnicity are shown to be key factors in constructing the homeworking labour force. The authors acknowledge the shared position that homeworkers occupy as women, as well as the differences experienced by clerical, manufacturing and professional homeworkers, and question whether new technology in itself can be the way forward to a better paid, less onerous form of homeworking.

`Feminism and sociology have both discussed motherhood, but have so far failed to address childrearing as such - a serious omission, when children are such a key pre-occupation in many women's lives and childrearing is central to social processes over time. This book argues the importance of listening to mother's own voices and presents evidence on this basis' - Jane Ribbens, Oxford Brookes University

`This book challenges existing research, such as it is, and provides new empirical evidence on the gendered and racialised nature of homeworking. Moreover, it is distinctive in that it also offers an agenda for action to improve the appalling conditions that many homeworkers were found to be experiencing.... Homeworking Women is committed research at its best: scientifically sound but with clear policy implications drawn out.... extremely accessibly written and provides an excellent overview and critique of existing research. There is a substantial accout of the methodological approach, given the difficulties of accessing homeworkers and persuading them to co-operate in research.... fills an important gap in our knowledge and makes sobering reading' - Housing Studies

`For those new to the subject this will serve as a very useful introduction enabling them to grasp some of the theoretical, methodological and political issues raised by homeworking which continue to be highly contentious' - Sociology

`This book makes a timely contribution at both the academic and political levels. At the academic level, it nudges forward our understanding of the complexity of the operation of labour markets, in particular by asserting the importance of race, alongside gender and class, as an important variable. At the political level, it provides us with invaluable information about what homeworkers want, thus informing future campaigns on their behalf' - Work, Employment and Society