National context, individual characteristics and attitudes on mothers' employment: A comparative analysis of Great Britain, Sweden and Norway

This article examines how a general social process - the struggle toward ge nder equality - is reflected in the public opinion on mothers' employment i n three different modern welfare states: Great Britain, Sweden and Norway. Viewing such attitudes as reponses to structural changes in women's relatio n to the labour market, the possible between- and within-country variations in these attitudes are hypothesized. The data are drawn from the Internati onal Social Survey Programme (ISSP) and the results from a large cross-nati onal survey are used. It is found that women are more positive than men, an d that the younger, the better-educated and the less religious members of s ociety are the most positive to mother's employment in all three countries. As for the between-country variations, it is found that the Swedes are the most positive and the Norwegians the most negative. It is suggested that G reat Britain's longer history of industrialization and of urban married wom en's employment explains why the British people are more positive towards m others' employment than Norwegians, despite the Norwegian welfare policies with their much stronger emphasis on supporting gender equality and mothers ' employment.