Women, work and empowerment : the case of Singapore.

Abstract

This research aims to show that empowerment that is defined solely in terms of paid employment is too narrow for women. Empowerment should not be just the rejection of traditional roles of family and motherhood, as posited in the context of Second Wave feminism. Through in-depth qualitative interviews and application of Weber's concepts of ideal types, my research would show that in the midst of integrating work and family, Singaporean women do internalize and subscribe to the expectations of both an ideally “good” mother and worker. Thus, with reference to Bourdieu's ideas, my respondents' views highlight Symbolic Violence. However, ideals aside, negotiations and challenges do occur in the women's attempts to integrate both work and family. Hence, these women are not just subjects who blindly accept expectations, but instead demonstrate agency in their attempts to negotiate and push the boundaries of expectations thrust upon them. With such agency demonstrated, it is therefore myopic to say that women who embrace the traditional roles or attempt to integrate both work and family are just blind subjects lacking empowerment.