Mothering the Union

This exciting book, newly available in paperback, investigates the scope of maternity legislation and family-friendly policies in the European Union. The wider context of the analysis is the development of equal rights as part of a European social dimension. The book is concerned with the influence of values and beliefs about women, equality, politics and employment on the scope of equal rights and maternity provisions. It provides answers to the following questions - what are the stated objectives of family-friendly policies? Which values transpire from the analysis of maternity rights? How do gender power hierarchies shape the overall aim of policies for the reconciliation between work and family life? It uncovers the values that underpin the policy making process and their impact on policy outcomes. The book begins by setting out the feminist interpretations of equality, difference and motherhood before analysing the development of women's rights in Europe, and then discusses the European Court of Justice ruling on gender in depth. Two case studies - one from Italy and one from the UK - help to illustrate the points made in the text and give concrete examples of gender policies in action. It will be of vital benefit to anyone studying gender and gender policies in a specific European Union context.