by Momoyo Tanaka

It is difficult for working mothers to balance work and family at the same time. Once it was said that men have to work outside, and women have to keep their house and care children. But now, in many developed countries, it is common for both mother and father to work outside the house because one salary does not provide enough income. Even in this situation, it is said that mothers should keep the house more than fathers because of former values. If working mothers work hard, they can’t care for their children a lot, and children might feel lonely. Then, if working mothers tend to care children a lot, they would have backlog, and they would trouble her company. Women should be supermom to solve this problem, but it is difficult in actuality. These two things are important to manage work and family: fathers’ support and coming in contact with children.

First, father’s support is necessary for every working mother. Even if father is busy, he should support his wife. For example, washing clothes, washing the dishes, taking children to and from kindergarten ― It is OK to help only something simple. If the father helps with housework, the mother would feel physical and mental relief, and she can work more hard. To realize such good situation, it is important to talk about divide up the housework between mother and father well.

Second, coming in contact with children is also essential. Even if mother and father are hectic, contacting is so important for children. But it is difficult for working parents because if they are at home, they are busy to do a lot of housework. Then, should do it together! The parents do housework changing to playing. If mother want to wipe the floor with a damp cloth, she should compete with her children whether which can wipe a large range. And if father want to wash a car, he should wash it with his children while playing in the water. The housework that mother and father do is very interesting for children, so if parent do it with their children, they can use the time effectively. They can share time with their children a lot.

Therefore, women can balance work and child care if she cooperates in family. Mothers should not do both of them perfect alone.

by Akiko Takano

I was shocked to read “The Care Crisis in the Philippines” as homework. Indeed, there was the mutual love between parent and child even if mother lives far distantly. However, it is ironic for migrant mother to go abroad and take care of the unrelated child in order to earn money even though she has own child. Migrant mother works overseas; meanwhile, she can hardly meet her child, and father and the relative bring up her child. I was interested in the facts, so this report introduces the example that Philippine migrant parents who went to Italy for working and I want to find a solution of this situation.

In this paragraph, I discuss an example that not only mother but also father go to Italy from the Philippines for migrant workers and have their relative bring up their child. Migrant parents can take a child younger than 18 years to Italy if they acquire residence permission in Italy. However, migrant parents actually not only leave their child in the hometown, but also send back even their child born in Italy to their hometown, and their relatives take care of their child. Why on earth such matter happens? There are mainly two reasons. First, migrant parents have little time to take care of their children. Because they come Italy to earn money, they often get full-time or live-in job. If bring their child, they have to reduce work. Second, the cost of living becomes rise if they live with their child in Italy. Because the prices of the developed country are high, it is cheaper bringing up their child in the mother country than migrated place. In short, migrant parents face problems of time and money if they try to receive their child. As a result they choose to leave their children in the Philippine.

Well then, how will this problem be solved? I think that children had better live with their real parents even if they have the relatives who bring up them. However, the structure of the migrant worker in the Philippine cannot be changed immediately. It supports the economy of the Philippines. Although, I believe there is a way to improve this situation. The country accepting migrant workers should have understanding for the child care of the migrant worker. The government should arrange the system that they are compatible with work, and child care. Not only migrant parents but also the country accepting them should grapple with this problem. If the country assists, future of the children will become bright.

Reference

Itaru Nagasaka. (2009). “国境を超えるフィリピン村人の民族誌　トランスナショナリズムの人類学”. tokyo:Akasi syoten.

by Mari Sunagawa

Most people accept the conservative gender ideology automatically. It is common for the women to do housework. Not only in family but also in the society, the women are engaged in the job like housework. The jobs such as housekeeper, nanny and teacher in nursery schools are occupied by the women. The men don’t want to do such works so they tend to leave everything of housework to the women. People think that women should do housework even if they work outside. The thought that women don’t work is old ideology. On the other hand, people regard the thought that women should do housework as natural, not old.

In China, the equal employment opportunity law was established in 1949. After that, women who have children started to work outside. The number of the working women had increased. However, in 1980, the quality of housework was regarded as very important thing to grow children up. They said that children must be taught social rules and studies at home.

If the husbands earn enough money to make a living, some of their wives become housewives because they cannot do housework and work in outside. They do not have the way that the husbands do housework. According to the questionnaire in China, the 42,7% Chinese women thought that the men should work and the women should housework. They do not refuse the gender ideology. Nowadays, both parents have to work outside to earn money. This situation produced the new gender ideology. The women must do housework and work in outside. It is difficult to do both works so it is said “Work Family Conflict” by Japanese scholar. Though it is the problem of both parents, the husband connects it with the ability and effort of wife. Few men help women cooking or cleaning clothes. When Chinese government establishes the only child policy, the Chinese hope to have a son, not a daughter. They want him to work hard although the women can work as well as the men.

I noticed some reason why the gender ideology has existed. First, people suppose that the men are more efficient than the women in society so the women had better stay at home. I think that there are physical differences based on sex but the gap of ability between women and men doesn’t exist. Second, the women accept this gender ideology. It helps keeping conservative thoughts. Participating the movements, the women called for jobs and got it. Next step is to tell the men that the housework is not women’s job. The social movements are required to change the mind of people in the world.

Reference

Hiromi Ishizuka. 2010. Chugokuroudou no gender bunseki. Keisoushobou

by Megumi Shishido

The society is supported by the work of people. According to “United Nations, The second half of the year of Female 10 years,” women occupy 50% of adults’ population of the world, one third of the world’s public works and two thirds of whole works in the world, but women receive only one tenth of world’s income and have 1% or less of world’s property. Women are often engaged in unpaid work; house work, childcare, nursing care, volunteer and so on. These works aren’t paid money. Also women can’t work like men because women often have to work while they do house work and their paid works aren’t estimated as same as male paid works.

Sex roles are received in Japan yet. However, when we look back at human history, such cooperation is a very recent thing. In a hunter-gatherer society, men went to hunt and women gathered fruits, nuts and rhizomes and so on to keep their living. In an agricultural society, men and women did agricultural productions as business partners. In these societies, male and female works were estimated equally. The development of industrialization changed the cooperation to sex roles that men work in the outside of house and women work in the inside of house. So women must depend on men financial. According to “United Nations, The World’s Women 2000: Trends and Statics,” generally women spend more 50%~70% times than men do, but in Japan and Korea women spend doing unpaid work seven times as long as men do. And the world’s economy is a depression, so both men and women work outside the house to keep family living. Women became to work outside the house, but men didn’t become to do unpaid works. We will be able to say at least in Japan the tendency was strong. Women became to a double burden that women must be coexist with household and work.

Therefore, women should participate in paid work more and men should participate in unpaid work more. For the realization, the most important thing is preparing female environment for work. Nursery schools for leaving children without anxiety and care homes for looking after parents should be set up. Especially at husbands’ place of work it should become easier to take childcare leave. Like this, companies should prepare environment for work and consider each employee’s family conditions. Also the idea of sex roles should be changed among people, especially among older people. Some of older people have the idea that women must work inside the house yet.

In Japan, we have the problems of gender and sex roles. As stated above, most of these problems are about female treatment. However, if women participate paid work more, next male treatment may be regarded as a problem.

References

Kiyoko Kinjo. “Gender Law, 2nd ed.” Yu-kakusya, 2007.

by Koki Shiozaki

In 2011, the movement took place in NY, screaming frames “Occupy Wall Street” and “We are the 99％.” Wall Street is the center of world economy and symbolized for the rich. So to occupy there stands for the protest to share everything, money ,right, opportunity and so on with us. This movement spread all over the world, included Japan. And this key frame also spread, such as “Occupy Tokyo.” this frame is easy to understand and have great effect on the others. When political and economic issues are transformed into cultural issues, they become inevitable. The party of Wall Street give us a question to the modern world.

Anti-globalism maintains that modern globalism is wrong, but we do not oppose to globalization itself. Merely because the rich who have almost all welfare of the world should be distributed. This movement also has their key  frame, that is “Another World is Possible.” this movement is represented by World Social Forum.  Anti-Globalism and Occupy movement have the same goal. But today each movement have their own frame and repertoire.  Only a big frame like “Another World is Possible” can not tie up each movement. Each movement need their own movement and policy for a goal. “a movement of movements” (T. Mertes, ed., A Movement of Movements: Is Another World Really Possible? 2004, Verso.） indicates that each movement has independence each other and they don’t disappear within a big movement.

Each movement have relationship and act each other. A movement which take place in a country became transnational movement. Concretely, a movement in a country gain to support from international NGO( Naoto.H p214). Taiwanese human rights movement appeal to American human rights party, instead of Taiwanese movement have an opportunity to appeal to their own government. And  American movement take an action to American government, and  the government pressure on Taiwanese government. Like a boomerang, the influence goes by roundabout route.

“Occupy Tokyo,”“Occupy Wall Street,” “Another World is Possible” are all connected. A movement occurred in  a certain country has grown up and have great  effect on the world and play an important roll in the world. These frames make the movement easy to connect and spread.

Reference

Naoto. H  2004    “Shakaiundo toiu Koukyokukan”   

David. H  2012   “ REBEL CITIES”   

T. Mertes  2004  “A Movement of Movements: Is Another World Really Possible?” Verso

by Saki Sato

I report social movement in Spain. Management of banks in Spain has become serious because of huge bad loans due to the real estate bubble burst and debt crisis with the global financial crisis of 2008. Spain is facing a serious economic crisis as well as the Greece. The unemployment rate rose to 24% and particularly youth unemployment aggravated. The unemployment rate of Spain is the worst level in EU. In this March, major labor unions of Spain opposed to the labor market reform and the policy of financial austerity that the Rajoy Government went on and began a general strike the whole of Spain. Several hundred thousand people hold demonstrations in big cities, including Madrid that is the capital of Spain and the part of them clashed with the police. Also in this May, large-scale demonstration against the policy of financial austerity in various parts of Spain. The demonstrators claimed” No, expenditure cuts by government” and “No bread without peace” and criticized the Rajoy Government strictly. They intended to reflect the wishes of citizens in society by demonstrating. They put up placards and banners that said “Oppose the public funds for banks,” “Oppose cut education and social welfare budget,” “Give house to live to all people”. In March 15th, the civil movement in Spain “15M” appealed to demonstrate in 80 cities of Spain and all over the world. “15M” means March 15th and in that day of last year, mainly 80,000 young people gathered and hold a demonstration. “15M” made good use of social networks to prepare and invite and triggered the same protest demonstration in the United Kingdom and “Occupy Wall Street” movement in the United States.

by Natsuki Oshiro

I’ll write about social movement in Japan. Social movement is the collective action that a lot of people do in order to realize the settlement of any social problems. The meaning of that is various. At one time, labor movement or socialism movement are typical social movements. But now, various movements are acted like environmental movement, an antiwar movement, peace movement, the movement of women or minority, consumer movement and so on. The purpose and its sense of values of modern social movements became diversification. In addition, the means used by social movements, is varied, ranging from marches, rallies, signature activities, media campaigns, boycotts, the violent use of force. Against the background of globalization, cross-border transnational social movements go on increasing.

In such a lot of social movements, I’ll write about campaigns against the Japan‐U.S. Security Treaty (in Japanese, anpo-tousou). This campaigns were acted twice from 1959 from 1960, and 1970.

This was the largest political struggle in Japanese history, workers and students and citizens opposed to the US-Japan Security Treaty. And it also had violent aspect of insurgency and conflict with Molotov cocktails and iron pipe. Momentum of the movement reached its climax in May and June 1960. Administrative Agreement and the Japan-US Security Treaty was signed in September 1951, which was decided to indefinitely stationed in Japan and the Japanese defense of the U.S. military. The cabinet of Kishi Nobusuke tried to revise this unilateral treaty to reciprocal treaty, and from June 1958, the negotiation was started between Japan and USA. And they agreed to a course of conclusion of new treaty. From October, official negotiation was started, but because of large movement to revision of Security Treaty and the cautiousness in the Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP), the negotiation did not go smoothly.

At last New Japan-US security treaty was signed in January 1960. Against it, large opposing movement was occurred by the opposition party and Japanese people. They criticize that this treaty was actual military alliance, and especially the Far East article was to involve Japan to war in Asia. This was campaigns against the Japan‐U.S. Security Treaty. It was organized by the stop security treaty nation diet (in Japanese Anpo Soshi Kokumin Gikai), and 60 millions of participants and 25 millions of signers participated in this movement. It became the largest social movement after WW1 in Japan. In May 1965, against the opposing movement, the government and the LDP appealed emergency means like that introduction of the police force, eliminating the members who opposes, the extreme measures of a single vote. And they pushed ahead to pass to the session extension and the new treaty. Opposing movement got more intense, and the function of parliamentary government was stopped by the siege of parliament by the demo day and night.

Going through many incidents, like that Michiko Kaba crush to death incident in June 15, cancellation of Eisenhower’s visit to Japan in June 16, finally New Japan-US security treaty was approved in Diet in June 19. In June 23, it went into effect by ratification exchange, and in same day, Kishi Nobusuke expressed resignation.

by Chika Oki

Nowadays, a lot of women of developing countries go to developed countries to make money leaving their children behind. Some says these mothers can’t build a good relationship in family and cause their children to have mental problems. This ignores the real problem; who takes care of children. Many people still believe that fathers should go working to make money and mothers should stay home to take care of their children. In our time, however, it is impossible for family to live only with father’s earning, and both parents should take care of their children equally.

Actually, caring for children brings good effects on fathers. It has been found that male hormones “testosterone” decrease after a man has a child, and the more time he spends taking care of his child, the less testosterone he would have. This decrease of hormones can protect men from having a prostate cancer. Also, this shows that men’s bodies are naturally made to be a good father. According to the study, the number of testosterone declines after men get married, and men who get a child had much lower testosterone. Moreover, men who spend much time taking care of their children showed the lowest testosterone (Belluck, 2011). A decrease of testosterone not only reduces the risk of becoming cancer but also helps fathers notice a small sigh from their children. Instead, men may be less sensitive to women, but this will keep husbands from having an affair with other women. This does not mean that men lose attractiveness as males after they got married and have a child. On the contrary, this is very good news because this proves that caring for children is not an only women’s duty, rather men are also physically made to be well adapted to housework and caring.

In addition, the old stereotype which says the role of wife and husband is separated seems to be changing. In a survey which was performed in America, it was found that many middle-age men now regret for not having spent much time with their father when they were a child, and they wants to commit to housework and child care more(Lawlor, 1998). Also, it is becoming natural for fathers to do housework and care for their children while mothers are working. This proves that double-earning couples can do their duties as a parent by making up for the partner’s absence each other. Now, child care is not a women’s job but a parental duty, and fathers should commit to this work more positively because it will brings physical benefits and good relationship of family.

References

Pam Belluck, In Study, Fatherhood Leads to Drop in Testosterone, The New York Times, 2011.

Julia Lawlor, EARNING IT; For Many Blue-Collar Fathers, Child Care Is Shift Work, Too, The New York Times, 1998.

by Naoya Suizu

Recently, I was invited by my friend on Facebook to a mass demonstration about rising consumption. Although I was a little interested in it, I didn’t join it because I must work at the day.  Such an invitation is not my first experience when I entered Ritsumeikan University.  For a year, I made some friends who often join a demonstration and I’m studying social problems with some of them.  But I’ve never joined the demonstrations because I don’t like a demonstration as the form of a complaint.  At the same time, I think it is very important to complain of the policy as a nation.  So, I have some doubts about the recent demonstration, but I believe people must complain the failure of the government if they feel it is a mistake.

In Japan, the positive demonstrations are not so many events now.  In fact, I have not heard the demonstration a little until I entered Ritsumeikan University and I have no good images for the demonstration, such as violent and radical action. I think not only I but also many Japanese people have not good impression. But, such Japanese people held many demonstrations radically in 1960s and 1970s.  They complained the existing power and sometimes acted violently.  In particular, many university students held the demonstrations for the achievement of their insistence at this age.  The big movement started against the Vietnam War, and after that, spread the demonstrations to change the existing situation. They are very aggressive and protect the national policy and fought against army by throwing a pebble and a Molotov cocktail. At first, many people evaluated the demonstrations as the young power to change the bad situations.  But the demonstration was gradually received as a dangerous action and continued to weaken the power.

Since the demonstration is dangerous for many people and weakened, it is arising in Japan now.  The cause is the accident of the Fukushima nuclear plant and many people gradually distrust politics when they knew the government’s bad action after the accident.  The movement spread largely and the demonstration against nuclear plants was held in various parts of Japan. Some university students are also joined and the demonstrations became a kind of trend. But I think some people just join the demonstration without a thought about the bad problem because of a trend. Exactly, the demonstrations are not so dangerous before and we can feel close, but the meaning that it changes the bad situations doesn’t change.  I think if they joined the demonstration, they should complain the government from they understand the principle of the problem.

The complaint against the bad politics is indispensable and demonstration is one of the most important movements. Particularly, it is very significant that the social responsibilities such as university students in the future join the demonstration. If people obey the existing rule without a complaint, the country is maybe declining and they don’t hope the good future.  Like this, demonstration is very necessary, but the thought of the activists is very important for it at the same time. Demonstration is not a play and unfinished thoughts result in no change.  I think the activists having the strong thought we can change the bad situation must join the demonstration.

Reference

http://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/35255

by Daisuke Matsumoto

I don’t think husband can completely do child care and housework.  The best reason why I think so is husbands, you know, don’t have a maternal instinct.  In addition, men have less handy about child care and housework like the diaper changing or cutting vegetable. So mostly husbands let their wives pull the double jobs.

For decades, mothers have been coming to complain that motherhood is more taxing than fatherhood and this disparity often get to become subject in couple’s house.  Of course, fathers are now struggling as much or even more than mothers in trying to fulfill their responsibilities at home and in the office. This is because husbands’ role are typically bringing home the bacon, but also husbands increasingly desire to spend more time with their children as wives have faced since 1970s―how do I be a good parent and good worker?―(Tara 2010).  However, there seems to have some problems for husbands to do the home tasks.  First, husbands tend to do child care in a “stealth” fashion―in other Japanese words “恥ずかしがる” ―.  It seems difficult for men to take advantage of flexible schedule and family leave like taking their child to the doctor or picking him or her up from school rather than take a formal flexible work arrangement.  Second, although men do more vacuuming or dishwashing than woman, they still lag behind women when it comes to housework.  In the U.S.A, when both husband and wife work out side home, the wife spends about 28 hours a week on housework, on the other hand, the husband can spends only about 16 hours (Tara 2010).  Moreover, men and women themselves disguise their domestic duties with different case.  In the 2008 families and work report of the U.S.A, 49 percent of men stated they do more or an equal of child care while only 31 percent of women gave husbands trust in child care.  Furthermore, the perception gap can apply to cooking and housecleaning.  More than 50 percent of husbands stated they do most or half these tasks, to the contrary, 70 percent of wives insist that they do all of these (Tara 2010).  If wives are right, you will understand how bad men’s work-life conflict is.  It would be suitable for fathers to fix a tricycle, play video games with their child or put away outdoor toys. That is why fathers do childcare or housework is less suitable than mothers do.

Reference

Tara, Parker-Pore. 2010. “Now, Dad Feels as Stressed as Mom” The New York Times. June 19. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/weekinreview/20parkerpope.html?_r=1