Modern Motherhood: An American History

Synopsis

By The 1960s, They Were Poised To Challenge Male Expertise, In Areas Ranging From Welfare And Abortion Rights To Childbirth Practices And The Confinement Of Women To Maternal Roles. In The Twenty-first Century, Americans Continue To Struggle With Maternal Contradictions, As We Pit An Idealized Role For Mothers In Children's Development Against The Social And Economic Realities Of Privatized Caregiving, A Paltry Public Policy Structure, And Mothers' Extensive Employment Outside The Home. Building On Decades Of Scholarship And Spanning A Wide Range Of Topics, Vandenberg-daves Tells An Inclusive Tale Of African American, Native American, Asian American, Working Class, Rural, And Other Hitherto Ignored Families, Exploring Sources Ranging From Sermons, Medical Advice, Diaries And Letters To The Speeches Of Impassioned Maternal Activists.