The findings demonstrate entrenched fertility myths among Israeli students, particularly the false belief in the possibility of late (beyond 35 years) and very late genetic motherhood. This can be explained by technological 'hype' and favorable media coverage of very late pregnancies. Since this may culminate in involuntary childlessness, it is highly important to increase the awareness of the Israeli public on the subject of fertility. However, as our sample is not representative of the Israeli student population, our findings should be tested in future studies.
This study examines how individuals perceive children, focusing on two dimensions-the positive aspects of having children and the perception of children as a burden-and taking into account relations with both individual-and macro-level characteristics. Three dimensions are examined on the macro-level: policies that support families, the cultural environment, and economic conditions. The study is based on the 2012 ISSP module on "Family and Gender Roles" and covers 24 OECD countries. The findings show that countries vary widely in their negative perceptions of children, but evince relatively greater similarity in their positive perceptions. Institutional support for children and working parents and traditional family values as captured by religiosity are important factors in explaining crosscountry variation in negative perceptions of children. Further, policies may help men and women adopt a more positive view of children and reduce differences among educational groups in relation to children.
This article seeks to learn how women perceive invisible work and how it affects their lives. This article contributes to the integration of different manifestations of invisible work into a conceptual whole, especially in light of the fact that most research has confined itself to only one aspect such as care work, housework, or volunteering. Nine group interviews were conducted with Israeli mothers from differing ethnic, religious, class, and age groups. Analysis reveals that the distinctions between aspects of invisible work, such as housework and care work and between activities belonging to the private and public spheres are much more blurred in women’s lives than might be inferred from the academic literature. Furthermore, throughout the life course of women the meanings and expressions of invisible work evolve creating a continuous struggle. In describing their everyday activities, women challenge the socially constructed binary oppositions in the context of the neoliberal economy.
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