The work, family and care nexus in Paris and Tokyo: Gender equality and well-being among urban professionals

Based on 51 qualitative interviews of middle- to upper-middle-class women and men in their thirties through early fifties Paris Tokyo from 2018 2020, this research seeks develop a comparative understanding how reconcile the diverse commitments work family two post-industrial societies by querying such topics as contexts for dual-career households, meanings men, workplace challenges, gender division household labor. Recent shifts roles, female workforce participation, more varied living patterns couple relationships are increasingly placing pressure younger middle-aged couples with children. Our findings suggest that despite historical cultural differences nexus family, not mention diverging levels government support dual-worker families, there interesting commonalities ways which family. In particular, both Japan France, naturalizing main care givers is fundamental aspect balance maintained. Despite presence many supportive institutional frameworks flexible work, childcare support, equity, French Japanese pursue subjective well-being gendered notions care.