Amott & Matthaei, `Race, Class, Gender, and Women`s Works - A Conceptual Framework

The concepts of class and exploitation of women help to understand the work lives of women in early history.   The article mentions that most people of color and white women usually work part-time, temporary, or seasonal positions and their pay does not rise with increasing education or experience.   Class is however the most important category to understanding economic life.   This goes to say that Women throughout he United States do not share a common oppression as women because race-ethnicity and class differentiate women's work lives.   The article points out that race- ethnic processes never operate independently of class and gender; the three are interconnected.   This article mentions how many women are able to use their economic power to get out of caretaking for their children and doing domestic work.   Women historically have been caretakers; but not all women.   Hired help is a big thing for today's wealthy woman.   - B.D.

"Rosie the Riveter:   White Women During World War II."   Race, Gender, and Work .   131-135.

Matthaei's article portrays the positive and negative effects of World War II upon women in the workplace of the United States.   This era is illuminated as the cause of great social and economic change which enabled women to enter the workforce and obtain higher paying jobs or more powerful positions, yet in its closing also called for a significant backlash toward female employment as well as inducing a period of increased domesiticity and female consumerism.   Feminist response experienced as the second wave of the women's movement is also highlighted as a key effect of the WWII era.   Women during this time period are portrayed as both the products of their society as well as the effectors of change.   Matthaei backs her argument by discussing socioeconomic trends in America from mid-WWII to the 1970s and providing statistics and examples.   The general theme of the article can be applied to any other analysis of historically-located women within the workplace and the realm of social change; women must be viewed both as the products of their society as well as dynamic role players. - B.G.

The common perception of female employment during WWII is that many women entered the workforce for the very first time after the men left.   This is not the case, however, as many of the women who began working after the war were married women who had been previously employed.   The article further delves into employment patterns of women from WWII, to the housewives of the 1950's, to the working woman of the 1990's.    Women have always worked in some way, though social perceptions would not lead one to believe it.   When one takes time to examine the history of women and working,, it becomes evident that women have not only worked to supplement the family income, they have worked for the satisfaction and independence it brings them.   The article is successful in showing the history of women working as well as clearing up some misconceptions.   It shows how women have been entering the workforce for the greater part of the last century.   -E.S.