Maternalism Reconsidered

Marian van der Klein is Senior Researcher at the Verwey-Jonker Institute. Her historical research focuses on gender, social history and welfare states, especially the impact of social policy on the socioeconomic position of women.

“A welcome addition to the literature on gender and social policy, this anthology addresses critical issues regarding women and the welfare state. Recognizing that maternalism is more diverse and nuanced than the simplification initially posed as a critique of the paternalist welfare state, the editors explore ways in which women's circumstances varied globally during the 20th century through chapters on the US, France, Fascist Italy, the Netherlands, Soviet-era Ukraine, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico…Highly Recommended.”  ·  Choice“One of the most striking features of this excellent collection of essays is thedurability of maternalism – as an ideology, a political strategy and as a practice of social policy and legislation. This anthology revisits and also updates the rich scholarship on the influence of maternalism on welfare and social policy, which was produced mainly during the early 1990s.”  ·  Gender & History

• Chapter 1. IntroductionRebecca Jo Plant and Marian van der KleinChapter 2. Beyond MaternalismSonya Michel Chapter 3. The State, the Women’s Movement and Maternity Insurance, 1900-1930: A Dutch Maternalism?Marian van der KleinChapter 4. Mobilising Mothers in the Nation’s Service: Civic Culture in France’s Familial Welfare State, 1890‑1914Lori R. WeintrobChapter 5. Speaking on Behalf of Others:Dutch Social Workers and The Problem of Maternalist CondescensionBerteke WaaldijkChapter 6. ‘Respectable Citizens of Canada’: Gender and the Welfare State in the Great DepressionLara CampbellChapter 7. The Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimages: Patriotic Maternalists and Their Critics in the Interwar U.S.Rebecca Jo PlantChpaptr 8. Protecting Mothers in Order to Protect Children: Maternalism and the 1935 Pan-American Child CongressNichole SandersChapter 9. Maternal and Child Welfare, State Policy and Women’s Philanthropic Activities in Brazil, 1930-45Maria Lúcia MottChapter 10. Maternalism in a Paternalist State: The National Organization for the Protection of Motherhood and Infancy in Fascist ItalyElisabetta VezzosiChapter 11. Maternalism, Soviet-Style: The Working ‘Mothers with Many Children’ in Postwar Western UkraineYoshie MitsuyoshiChapter 12. Infant-Maternity Health and Nutritional Programmes in Argentina: Maternalism without Maternalists?Alma IdiartChapter 13. Afterword: Maternalism TodayRebecca Jo PlantSelect BibliographyContributors