Clark, Victoria (2021) The Double-Shift of Lockdown: The Gender-Regressive Pandemic. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
COVID-19 has created a global health emergency and economic crisis and has disrupted the domestic organisation within families, mainly working mothers. Research into pandemics shows that women more than men are adversely affected by social and economic effects. Gender inequalities are present in care responsibilities as schools and daycare closures result in reduced working hours. Within the family, micro-interactions provide an understanding of contingent circumstances. The focus of the present study was to qualitatively explore the contextual factors and experiences of Australian working mothers during the COVID-19 lockdowns. This thesis draws on dual theoretical lenses: West and Zimmerman’s doing gender theory, and intersectionality theory, integrated with a strong critical realist framework. Eight in-depth interviews were conducted with women in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. The critical realist explanatory approach applied to thematic analysis identified the findings that mothers’ experiences were inextricably linked to gendered social roles, workplace culture, and school expectations. Two themes captured the disrupted boundaries articulated in participants’ accounts: (1) blurring identities: tensions and dilemmas, and (2) bounding spaces. These themes illustrate how working mothers do gender, as individuals influenced by and influencing socio-cultural factors. Implications for future researchers and policy makers working towards the cultural shift to reduce gender bias in Australian society include directing policy attention to supports to relieve parents of their teaching duties and workplaces providing genuine flexibility.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Jan du Preez |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Jul 2025 04:14 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Jul 2025 04:14 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | working mothers ; home learning ; critical realism ; doing gender ; intersectionality ; Covid-19 ; global health emergency |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52210 |
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