Abstract:
Prior studies of postindustrial societies have shown that despite declines in some gendered expectations, the view that women should not work when their children are young persists. Yet there is insufficient research on how individuals arrive at and make sense of negative views of maternal employment in the context of increasing gender egalitarianism. South Korea is a compelling case of this seeming paradox. Drawing on 63 in-depth interviews, this study identifies the cognitive and psychological processes among both women and men that contribute to the gender norms surrounding maternal employment. Analysis reveals that the use of knowledge-based narratives reinforces negative views of maternal employment, including the belief that mothers should not work when a child under three is at home. In addition, there are two components of such a knowledge-based narrative that are tacitly assumed: a zero-risk mindset that prioritizes child welfare absolutely, and the temporal trap which emphasizes the life-long impact of maternal employment on a child’s life. In the end, this study identifies both the process in which individuals construct knowledge-based narratives and the elements within the narrative that reproduce existing intensive motherhood ideologies that culturally challenge maternal employment.