Developing an African research network and research agenda on work–family interface

ABSTRACT

In this article we aim to provide a narrative of the critical engagement on work–family issues in Africa that took place during the inaugural workshop of the African Research Network on Work–Family held at the University of Pretoria, South Africa in September 2015. The inter-disciplinary experts at the workshop agreed that with funding and appropriate local data, the Network has the potential to make a substantial contribution to strengthening and amplifying African voices in the global work–family discourse, which is currently dominated by research findings and literature from the Global North. A future research agenda was also proposed.

RESUMEN

El objetivo de este artículo es proporcionar una narrativa del acuciante compromiso en cuestiones sobre conciliación trabajo y familia en África, que tuvo lugar durante el Seminario inaugural de la Red Africana de Investigación sobre Trabajo-Familia, celebrado en la Universidad de Pretoria, Sudáfrica en septiembre de 2015. Durante el Seminario, los expertos inter-disciplinares acordaron que con la financiación e información local adecuada, la Red tiene el potencial de contribuir sustancialmente al fortalecimiento y amplificación de las voces africanas en el discurso global sobre trabajo y familia, dominado actualmente por hallazgos de investigación y literatura del Norte Global. Además, se propuso una agenda de investigación para el futuro.

KEYWORDS:

• Work–family
• Africa
• research network
• global south

PALABRAS CLAVE:

• Conciliación familiar
• Africa
• Investigación
• Global South

Acknowledgements

Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at, are those of the authors and cannot be attributed to the CoE in Human Development.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Zitha Mokomane is an Associate professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Her research interests include work–family balance, social protection, and family demography.

Sintechè van der Merwe is a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of South Africa and a PhD candidate at the University of Johannesburg, Lecturer at the Department of Sociology, University of South Africa. Her research interests are gender studies.

Mariam Seedat-Khan is a senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her research interests are gender, family, identity, work life balance, domestic work and socialisation.

Ameeta Jaga is a senior lecturer in the School of Management studies at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Her research interests include the work–family interface in relation to culture and gender, and breastfeeding at work.

Lisa Dancaster is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. Her research interests include work-care integration and parental leave policies.

Notes

1. Sec 27(1), Basic Conditions of Employment Act (No. 75 of 1997).

Additional information

Funding

The support of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence on Human Development under Grant No. [OPP20150008] is acknowledged.