The symmetrical family : a sociological investigation amongst dual-earner families within the Maltese context

Abstract

The rise in dual-earner families has perhaps been one of the most prominent contemporary changes in the domain of the sociology of the family, representing a transformation which goes beyond merely changes in the structure of the family unit, involving, amongst others, challenges to traditional gender ideologies. The trend towards adopting a dual-earner family was first analysed empirically in Malta by Saviour Rizzo (2006) in collaboration with the Centre for Labour Studies at the University of Malta. In his study, Rizzo attempted to understand the social reasons behind the prevalence of this family formation as well as other related concepts to this emerging family type, such as work-life balance. This dissertation presents a sociological study of the surge in dual-earner families whilst closely intertwining it with the sociology of gender by examining this family structure through the focus point of gender equality. Although there have been other studies which looked at this family type, rare attempts have been made to build upon Rizzo’s work and investigate the changing factors behind this family formation. This study endeavours to bridge this research gap by repeating Rizzo's focus on examining the primary factors responsible for the rise in this family configuration. Additionally, it also adopts a gendered perspective as it tries to investigate the different experiences heterosexual individuals have in this family structure, pointing to possible gender inequalities executed through the sociological concepts of the dual burden and triple shift. Aiming at generalizability of results, a quantitative methodology was adopted through the use of self-completion questionnaires. To provide the study with a defined study population, the dissertation focused upon a specific social group, namely heterosexual, dual-earner University of Malta staff (including both academic and non-academic, part-time and full-time, and staff employed both at the University and at Ġ. F. Abela Junior College). Through descriptive analysis and correlation analysis, this study resulted in four main conclusions. Firstly, that structural factors are still essentially the main contributors to the Maltese dual-earner family, though acknowledging also the influence of cultural factors. Secondly, that traditional gender roles are pretty much still in effect in dual-earner heterosexual families even in a country which promotes a society where males and females have equal social standing and value. Thirdly, though data showed that both partners in the couple endure the second shift, thorough analysis showed that females experience the greatest burden of this shift, shouldering the societal expectation that they are still the main ones responsible for housework and childcare. In terms of the triple shift, it was ascertained that females do indeed experience it. However, difficulty was found in attempting to compare it with the emotional labour men provide due to inconsistent data provided by males. Lastly, it was found that gender inequality still dominates the Maltese dual-earner family household, showing a concerning finding that males believe that it executes gender equality whilst females believe that it executes gender inequality, highlighting the different lived experiences both genders have within this family composition.