Drawing upon data from in-depth interviews with mothers and fathers as well as field observation,... more Drawing upon data from in-depth interviews with mothers and fathers as well as field observation, I illustrate how women engage in the practice of maternal gatekeeping due to strongly held notions of maternal identity. The central components of maternal identity can lead to a defense of gender imbalance in the home. These central components include dreams of motherhood as well as conceptions of women’s superior parenting knowledge and women’s sense of primary responsibility for their children. I explore how maternal identity can lead into maternal gatekeeping while exploring what it is about our gendered parenting roles that we cling to so tightly. I conclude with a call for an abandonment of notions of maternal identity which should be replaced by gender neutral parental identities.
This article discusses women serving on closed bases (where soldiers stay to sleep) in Israel’s D... more This article discusses women serving on closed bases (where soldiers stay to sleep) in Israel’s Defence Forces (IDF). Based on findings of a large-scale qualitative study, the author suggests that women mimic male soldiers to get round the structural barriers set by the military. This response is linked both to women’s proximity to combat and to the living conditions found on closed bases. These women have created a new approach for ‘doing masculinity’. They mimic male combat behaviour and often stretch the definition of combat to include themselves in it. This is beneficial to women soldiers on an individual level but does little to alter traditional gender roles and may even serve to reinforce them.
Today’s fathers are more involved with childcare than the generations that preceded them. There i... more Today’s fathers are more involved with childcare than the generations that preceded them. There is evidence to suggest that men consider fatherhood and their relationships with their children as more important than ever before. Still, society generally deems the activity of “parenting” as feminine. Thus, men who choose to identify with hegemonic notions of masculinity have few pre-existing father identities to choose from. I argue that fathers actively masculinize their parenting in order to protect their masculine identities. I use qualitative methods to examine the different approaches that they take to conciliate their actions as fathers with their identities as men. They do so by stressing different areas of importance when it comes to parenting, by adding masculine elements to their fathering activities, and by staying away from parenting activities that are generally marked by society as feminine.
What can be learned from the process of community-engaged research (CER) on refugee resettlement?... more What can be learned from the process of community-engaged research (CER) on refugee resettlement? In the following, we share experiences, reflections, and lessons from implementing such a project. We begin with background on refugee resettlement and recent resettlement dynamics in the United States and Wisconsin, as well as literature on the study of refugees and this type of research more generally. Results and discussion are presented though our understanding of, and involvement with, the process via a framework of CER desired process outcomes, which we both propose and utilize to encourage effective efforts with marginalized populations going forward. CER is challenging and must be undertaken thoughtfully. One of the paper’s primary contributions is to share successes and failures in a transparent and unvarnished fashion. In particular, researchers need to share power and listen deeply, actions that will reverberate throughout such a process. Doing so comes with certain risks, an...
There is a great deal of literature regarding the differences between motherhood and fatherhood. ... more There is a great deal of literature regarding the differences between motherhood and fatherhood. The literature suggests that parenthood is deeply gendered and takes on different meanings for men and for women. This paper examines parenthood from an angle not typically addressed in feminist discussion. Missing from recent scholarship is any in-depth examination of the role that women may play in limiting the involvement of their male partners. What part do women play in the maintenance of traditional parenting roles? This paper, based on a series of interviews with parents of young children as well as field research in child centered locations, concentrates on the reasons behind the emergence of gendered parenting approaches. The qualitative nature of this study makes it possible to note the complexity of this issue and examine the role of both mother and father in gatekeeping. Overall, I argue that many mothers are involved in maternal gatekeeping through taking control over both m...
With allegations of church-based sex abuse increasing worldwide, this collection of essays is esp... more With allegations of church-based sex abuse increasing worldwide, this collection of essays is especially significant. Jewish communities have often been tempted to buy into the misguided belief that sexual abuse is a problem that does not affect us–at least not directly. This important book not only dispels this belief, but also outlines, through firsthand accounts of clergy, educators, lawyers, and therapists, the complex nature of this phenomenon and provides useful tools for addressing the problem in its many different facets.
Informed by gendered organizational theory, I discuss “lone girls” in Israel’s Defense Forces (ID... more Informed by gendered organizational theory, I discuss “lone girls” in Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF), that is, women serving in bases where the majority of soldiers are men. I argue that the IDF’s military structure pushes these token women into traditional gendered behavior. Contrary to basic tenets of gendered organizational logic, many of these women find that doing gender in traditional ways is empowering. They manipulate gender and femininity to their advantage as IDF soldiers, as a means of attaining a sense of organizational belonging when other paths are blocked. Thus, lone girls benefit from their army experiences on an individual level. On a collective level, though, their presence on male-dominated bases does little to strengthen the position of women in the IDF and in Israeli society in general. Rather, it serves to reinforce traditional gender expectations for men and women.
Drawing upon data from in-depth interviews with mothers and fathers as well as field observation,... more Drawing upon data from in-depth interviews with mothers and fathers as well as field observation, I illustrate how women engage in the practice of maternal gatekeeping due to strongly held notions of maternal identity. The central components of maternal identity can lead to a defense of gender imbalance in the home. These central components include dreams of motherhood as well as conceptions of women’s superior parenting knowledge and women’s sense of primary responsibility for their children. I explore how maternal identity can lead into maternal gatekeeping while exploring what it is about our gendered parenting roles that we cling to so tightly. I conclude with a call for an abandonment of notions of maternal identity which should be replaced by gender neutral parental identities.
This article discusses women serving on closed bases (where soldiers stay to sleep) in Israel’s D... more This article discusses women serving on closed bases (where soldiers stay to sleep) in Israel’s Defence Forces (IDF). Based on findings of a large-scale qualitative study, the author suggests that women mimic male soldiers to get round the structural barriers set by the military. This response is linked both to women’s proximity to combat and to the living conditions found on closed bases. These women have created a new approach for ‘doing masculinity’. They mimic male combat behaviour and often stretch the definition of combat to include themselves in it. This is beneficial to women soldiers on an individual level but does little to alter traditional gender roles and may even serve to reinforce them.
Today’s fathers are more involved with childcare than the generations that preceded them. There i... more Today’s fathers are more involved with childcare than the generations that preceded them. There is evidence to suggest that men consider fatherhood and their relationships with their children as more important than ever before. Still, society generally deems the activity of “parenting” as feminine. Thus, men who choose to identify with hegemonic notions of masculinity have few pre-existing father identities to choose from. I argue that fathers actively masculinize their parenting in order to protect their masculine identities. I use qualitative methods to examine the different approaches that they take to conciliate their actions as fathers with their identities as men. They do so by stressing different areas of importance when it comes to parenting, by adding masculine elements to their fathering activities, and by staying away from parenting activities that are generally marked by society as feminine.
What can be learned from the process of community-engaged research (CER) on refugee resettlement?... more What can be learned from the process of community-engaged research (CER) on refugee resettlement? In the following, we share experiences, reflections, and lessons from implementing such a project. We begin with background on refugee resettlement and recent resettlement dynamics in the United States and Wisconsin, as well as literature on the study of refugees and this type of research more generally. Results and discussion are presented though our understanding of, and involvement with, the process via a framework of CER desired process outcomes, which we both propose and utilize to encourage effective efforts with marginalized populations going forward. CER is challenging and must be undertaken thoughtfully. One of the paper’s primary contributions is to share successes and failures in a transparent and unvarnished fashion. In particular, researchers need to share power and listen deeply, actions that will reverberate throughout such a process. Doing so comes with certain risks, an...
There is a great deal of literature regarding the differences between motherhood and fatherhood. ... more There is a great deal of literature regarding the differences between motherhood and fatherhood. The literature suggests that parenthood is deeply gendered and takes on different meanings for men and for women. This paper examines parenthood from an angle not typically addressed in feminist discussion. Missing from recent scholarship is any in-depth examination of the role that women may play in limiting the involvement of their male partners. What part do women play in the maintenance of traditional parenting roles? This paper, based on a series of interviews with parents of young children as well as field research in child centered locations, concentrates on the reasons behind the emergence of gendered parenting approaches. The qualitative nature of this study makes it possible to note the complexity of this issue and examine the role of both mother and father in gatekeeping. Overall, I argue that many mothers are involved in maternal gatekeeping through taking control over both m...
With allegations of church-based sex abuse increasing worldwide, this collection of essays is esp... more With allegations of church-based sex abuse increasing worldwide, this collection of essays is especially significant. Jewish communities have often been tempted to buy into the misguided belief that sexual abuse is a problem that does not affect us–at least not directly. This important book not only dispels this belief, but also outlines, through firsthand accounts of clergy, educators, lawyers, and therapists, the complex nature of this phenomenon and provides useful tools for addressing the problem in its many different facets.
Informed by gendered organizational theory, I discuss “lone girls” in Israel’s Defense Forces (ID... more Informed by gendered organizational theory, I discuss “lone girls” in Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF), that is, women serving in bases where the majority of soldiers are men. I argue that the IDF’s military structure pushes these token women into traditional gendered behavior. Contrary to basic tenets of gendered organizational logic, many of these women find that doing gender in traditional ways is empowering. They manipulate gender and femininity to their advantage as IDF soldiers, as a means of attaining a sense of organizational belonging when other paths are blocked. Thus, lone girls benefit from their army experiences on an individual level. On a collective level, though, their presence on male-dominated bases does little to strengthen the position of women in the IDF and in Israeli society in general. Rather, it serves to reinforce traditional gender expectations for men and women.
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Papers by Orlee Hauser