Daddy Issues: Why Do Swedish Fathers Claim Paternity Leave at Higher Rates than French Fathers?

The development of paid parental leave programs has become a growing part of national and international dialogues. In particular, the implementation of paternity leave is believed to facilitate women’s participation in the workforce, which most Western countries have outlined as an objective. In addition, paternity leave programs are also believed to foster more equitable work environments and challenge gender norms that stereotype women as the primary caregiver. As of 2016, about two-thirds of OECD countries provide some form of both paid maternity, paternity, and combined parental leave ; however, the gender composition of who claims these benefits is still largely skewed in several countries. In France, which has the most elaborate leave system, only 62-66% eligible French fathers take at least part of their offered paternity leave. Furthermore, French fathers only account for 4% of parents who claim parental leave. In Sweden, on the other hand, around 90% of eligible Swedish fathers take at least part of their offered paternity leave, and they account for anywhere from 27 to 45% of parents who claim parental leave. A comparative analysis of five different independent variables - Financial Considerations, Fears of Negative Career Consequences, Breadth and Depth of Maternity Leave, Disinterest, and the Use-it-or-lose is policy - was conducted to determine why French fathers participate in paternity and parental leave programs at significantly lower rates than Swedish fathers. The study concludes that Disinterest, stemming from traditional views on gender roles, is likely the most impactful variable on participation rates. However, Financial Considerations, Fears of Negative Career Consequences, and France’s only recently implemented Use-it-or-lose parental leave policy likely exaggerate this disparity. To further investigate this claim, it would be beneficial to more closely examine and compare French and Swedish workplace cultures as well as how each country’s religious influence impacts the populations’ perceptions of gender roles

Neoliberal Feminism: The Only Approach

Throughout its history, feminism has manifested in myriad ways; indeed, there are more than ten different categories of feminist thought, all of which seek to define the tenets and objectives of feminism as a movement. These groups include, but are not limited to: radical feminism, eco feminism, third wave feminism, postmodern feminism, liberal feminism, and psychoanalytic feminism. It is important to note that these divisions are not mutually exclusive - one can identify with multiple types of feminist thought at the same time. Given the variety of beliefs attached to the notion of feminism, academic scholarship on the subject is naturally diverse and sometimes contradictory. In fact, both ideological and strategic debates have always existed within the movement, though their content has changed as feminism has evolved and adapted to modern circumstances. Today, a vibrant discourse exists concerning the differences between liberal feminism and neo-liberal feminism. This modern perspective on feminism questions neo-liberal feminism’s necessity as well as its potentially damaging implications. In addition, this conversation also inquires into the relationship between conservatism and feminism, and whether or not it is possible to be a conservative feminist. A case study in which 8 subjects of varying political affiliations were interviewed about these topics suggests support for neo-liberal feminism’s market-based approach as well as an acceptance of a new category of feminist thought: conservative feminis

Glenda Secrest and Jon Secrest in a Faculty Recital

This is the program for the faculty recital featuring soprano Glenda Secrest and tenor John Secrest. They were assisted by pianist Cindy Fuller. This recital took place on September 12, 1996, in the W. Francis McBeth Recital Hall

Glenda Secrest and Jon Secrest in a Faculty Recital

This is the program for the faculty recital featuring soprano Glenda Secrest and tenor Jon Secrest. They were assisted by pianist Cindy Fuller. This recital took place one September 23, 1997, in the W. Francis McBeth Recital Hall

Glenda Secrest and Jon Secrest in a Faculty Recital

This is the program for the faculty recital featuring soprano Glenda Secrest and tenor Jon Secrest. Pianist Cindy Fuller accompanied the performance with and narrator Scott Holsclaw. This recital took place on September 17, 2002, in the W. Francis McBeth Recital Hall

Jon Secrest and Glenda Secrest in a Faculty Recital

This is the program for the faculty recital featuring tenor John Secrest and soprano Glenda Secrest. They were assisted on the piano by Cindy Fuller. This recital took place on February 13, 1995, in the Mabee Fine Arts Center Recital Hall

Weak Interactions in Atoms and Nuclei: The Standard Model and Beyond

Studies in nuclear and atomic physics have played an important role in developing our understanding of the Standard Model of electroweak interactions. We review the basic ingredients of the Standard Model, and discuss some key nuclear and atomic physics experiments used in testing these ideas. We also summarize the conceptual issues of the Standard Model that motivate the search for new physics.Comment: 51 pages, 25 figure