Background
Women's participation in labor force has increased throughout the world. In the Nordic countries women's and men's employment rates are almost identical. Having children influences the employment rates of both women and men. Working mothers tend to work fewer hours than women without children, while working fathers work longer hours, compared to men without children. A successful work-life balance constitutes an important health resource for both working parents, and particularly for working women. Whether the work-family/private life interaction is positive or negative is dependent on various conditions such as the flexibility of work-family arrangements, the degree of willingness or unwillingness of working part-time, the support provided by the partner in sharing home-related duties, managerial attitudes, and the boundaries between work-family interaction. With the ageing population, women and men at midlife are increasingly involved in taking care of their own parents, while still caring for their children and working outside the home. These individuals are "sandwiched" between the needs of their children and their parents or other relatives. Thus, work-life issues need to be viewed from a broader perspective.
Objectives
This course is designed to tackle work/life balance issues. A broad perspective will be used by taking into consideration 1) the male/female perspective, 2) the multiple ethnic and class divisions in balancing of work-family interaction; and 3) the intergenerational care, particularly those ‘sandwiched’ working women and men who take care of their ageing parents while taking care of their own children. Also various work-family arrangements will be discussed, e.g., flexiwork, work without boundaries, mobile work and distant work.
Target group
Researchers, university students, gender experts, HR managers, social partners, politicians and policymakers, NGOs and practitioners in the field.
Main topics
- Care ideology
- Gendered division of labour
- Women’s and men's work-life preferences
- Increasing diversity of the workforce
- Life-long perspective and family relationships
- Gender and intergenerational relations
- Challenges of care at different life stages
- Parental leave arrangements
- Men and masculinities
Course structure and working method
The course will be organized to be interactive and participant-friendly. The main lecturers are invited to stay and participate in discussions for the duration of the whole course. Participants are encouraged to send abstracts, which will be discussed during interactive rounds. Two of the abstracts will be selected for presentation during the last day of the course. The deadline for submitting the abstracts is 10 April 2012, the same as the registration deadline.
Venue and accommodation
The course is going to be held at the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) in Oslo, Norway. NIOH is Norway's national research institute within the working environment and health (STAMI in Norwegian). NIOH is situated in Oslo, near the metro station Majorstuen. The visiting address is: Gydas vei 8, 0363 Oslo. For more information about NIOH please, visit: www.stami.no.
The course package (starting with coffee and sandwich on 24 April and closing with lunch on 27 April) includes lunch, fruit and coffee with cake and costs NOK 1330 (EUR 170). The price may be subject to a minor change.
All participants and lecturers are cordially invited to the course dinner on the evening of 26 April. For more information about the course dinner please, see: www.niva.org.
Participants are kindly asked to book their own accommodation. NIVA recommends the following hotels:
• Thon Hotel Gyldenløve - 10 minutes walk from NIOH
• Rica G-20 - in the centre of Oslo, lies 50m from the metro station
• P-Hotels - low-cost hotel in the centre of Oslo, close to the metro station.
Registration deadline
10 April 2012
Registration fee
EUR 490 (course package price not included). All teaching and course materials are included.
The payment should be made by 16 April 2012 to:
Nordea Bank Finland Plc
Meilahti Branch, Tukholmankatu 2
FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland
Account no: 226238-2043
IBAN: FI79 2262 3800 0020 43
Swift code: NDEAFIHH
When paying the fee, please indicate clearly:
1. Your name
2. Course code 6202
Course leader
Prof. Kaisa Kauppinen, PhD
Senior Researcher
FIOH
Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A
00250 Helsinki
FINLAND
Tel. +358 30 474 2758
E-mail: kaisa.kauppinen@ttl.fi
Course coordinator
Zsuzsanna Renkó-Michelsén, MA
NIVA
Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A
00250 Helsinki
FINLAND
Tel. +358 30 474 2498
E-mail: zsuzsanna.renko@ttl.fi
For more information, please contact course coordinator Zsuzsanna Renkó-Michelsén: zsuzsanna.renko@ttl.fi