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Chapitre D'ouvrage Année : 2024

The Value of “Empty Nest Syndrome” in Sociology

Résumé

This chapter explores the concept of empty nest syndrome and its value in sociology. The analogy of an empty nest as a cosy space is used to describe the phase of family life when children leave their parents. The chapter delves into the history of the family home, highlighting the shift towards private and intimate family life in the late nineteenth century. The confinement of women in family life is also discussed, with Dorothy Canfield’s analogy of a “squirrel cage” used to designate marriage. The concept of empty nest syndrome is situated within broader sociological discussions about gender roles and family dynamics. The author argues that this syndrome belongs to a wider critique of fixed roles attributed to women. He questions whether working mothers are fewer mothers in terms of identity than stay-at-home mothers, highlighting that time spent and place in identity is not dissociated. The chapter provides insights into the history and sociology of family life, shedding light on important issues related to gender roles and family dynamics.

Domaines

Sociologie
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Dates et versions

hal-04584687 , version 1 (23-05-2024)

Identifiants

Citer

François de Singly. The Value of “Empty Nest Syndrome” in Sociology. Magdalena Żadkowska; Marta Skowrońska; Christophe Giraud; Filip Schmidt. Reconfiguring Relations in the Empty Nest, Springer Nature Switzerland, pp.27-36, 2024, Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life, ⟨10.1007/978-3-031-50403-7_2⟩. ⟨hal-04584687⟩
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