"It is an individual choice". Experiences of highly qualified stay-at-home mothers in Dublin.

Abstract

The following contribution relies on the testimony of women themselves to expose and unpick a uni-dimensional focus on choice - to work or stay at home - to illustrate the multi-layered and complex set of factors that influence women's decisions relating to work and caring. While based on a small sample that cannot be generalized from, the discussion of the outcomes gives strong evidence to the importance of looking beyond what first appear to be straightforward choices to critiquing the complex inter-play of factors that shape these "choices." Such are e. g. structural or ideological reasons as decision-making factors for becoming a Stay-at-Home Mother.