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Similar Negotiations over Childcare? A Comparative Study of Fathers’ Parental Leave Use in Finland and Sweden

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  • Ann-Zofie Duvander

    (Department of Sociology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Eleonora Mussino

    (Department of Sociology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Jussi Tervola

    (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), 00271 Helsinki, Finland
    The Social Insurance Institution (Kela), 00056 Kela, Finland)

Abstract

Fathers’ leave use is promoted in many countries, but so far with different success. Major explanations of different usage revolve around economic bargaining between parents and economic constraints in the household. By using extensive register data from 1999–2009 in Finland and Sweden, this study asks whether fathers’ use of parental leave in the two countries is determined by the same socioeconomic characteristics on the individual and the household level once we control for sociodemographic factors. Striking similarities in what influences fathers’ use of leave in the two contexts are found, even though leave is used at very different levels and the policy design differs remarkably. Generally, fathers with a similar income level to the mother use leave the most, but in high-income households the mother’s higher income leads to the highest propensity of fathers’ leave take-up. The results indicate that equal bargaining positions are associated with fathers’ leave use but also that mothers’ stronger position often facilitates fathers’ leave. We conclude that the role of gendered bargaining positions should be studied in interaction with the level of resources in the household.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann-Zofie Duvander & Eleonora Mussino & Jussi Tervola, 2021. "Similar Negotiations over Childcare? A Comparative Study of Fathers’ Parental Leave Use in Finland and Sweden," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:11:y:2021:i:3:p:67-:d:581578
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Trude Lappegard, 2008. "Changing the Gender Balance in Caring: Fatherhood and the Division of Parental Leave in Norway," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 27(2), pages 139-159, April.
    2. Ankita Patnaik, 2019. "Reserving Time for Daddy: The Consequences of Fathers’ Quotas," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(4), pages 1009-1059.
    3. Johansson, Elly-Ann, 2010. "The effect of own and spousal parental leave on earnings," Working Paper Series 2010:4, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    4. Shelly Lundberg & Robert A. Pollak, 1996. "Bargaining and Distribution in Marriage," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 10(4), pages 139-158, Fall.
    5. Carmen Castro-García & Maria Pazos-Moran, 2016. "Parental Leave Policy and Gender Equality in Europe," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(3), pages 51-73, July.
    6. Anni Erlandsson, 2017. "Child Home Care Allowance and the Transition to Second- and Third-Order Births in Finland," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(4), pages 607-630, August.
    7. Rafael Lalive & Josef Zweimüller, 2009. "How Does Parental Leave Affect Fertility and Return to Work? Evidence from Two Natural Experiments," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(3), pages 1363-1402.
    8. Eleonora Mussino & Ann-Zofie Duvander, 2016. "Use It or Save It? Migration Background and Parental Leave Uptake in Sweden," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 32(2), pages 189-210, May.
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