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Family Life in Lockdown

Author

Listed:
  • Pietro Biroli

    (University of Zurich)

  • Steven Bosworth

    (University of Reading)

  • Marina Della Giusta

    (University of Reading)

  • Amalia Di Girolamo

    (University of Birmingham)

  • Sylvia Jaworska

    (University of Reading)

  • Jeremy Vollen

    (University of Zurich)

Abstract

The lockdown imposed following the COVID-19 pandemic of spring 2020 dramatically changed the daily lives and routines of millions of people worldwide. We analyse how such changes contributed to gender inequality within the household using a novel survey of Italian, British, and American families in lockdown. A high percentage report disruptions in the patterns of family life, manifesting in new work patterns, chore allocations, and household tensions. Though men have taken an increased share of childcare and grocery shopping duties, reallocations are not nearly as stark as disruptions to work patterns might suggest, and families having to reallocate duties report greater tensions. Our results paint a picture of tightened constraints budging up against stable and gendered patterns of intra-household cooperation. While the long-run consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown on family life cannot be assessed at this stage, we point towards the likely opportunities and challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Pietro Biroli & Steven Bosworth & Marina Della Giusta & Amalia Di Girolamo & Sylvia Jaworska & Jeremy Vollen, 2020. "Family Life in Lockdown," Working Papers 2020-051, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2020-051
    Note: ECI, HI
    as

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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Biroli_Bosworth_Della-Giusta_2020_family-life-in-lockdown.pdf
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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Biroli_Bosworth_Della-Giusta_2020_family-life-in-lockdown_v1.pdf
    File Function: Second version, September 22, 2020
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    lockdown; care; housework; tensions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation

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