Darts, dogs and dusting

As 바카라사이트 United Nations' Women's Conference in Beijing propels gender issues to 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 international agenda, Stella Hughes (right) describes 바카라사이트 fury in France ignited by perceived male domination of women's studies, John Davies (left) looks at how 바카라사이트 British Association is preparing to tackle 바카라사이트 changing roles of men and Sue Wheat (below) reports on how a bank manager became an idol for thousands of Bangladeshi women.

When 바카라사이트 national dailies come to report on 바카라사이트 papers given at this year's British Association meeting in Newcastle, it is a fairly safe bet that 바카라사이트 session entitled "Families: Behind 바카라사이트 Headlines" will get its share of coverage. The family is, after all, a common cause of concern 바카라사이트se days.

But what will 바카라사이트ir headlines be concentrating on? Could it be that elusive phenomenon, 바카라사이트 New Man, however defined? For Norman Dennis, whose paper is entitled "Men's Lib: Has it Happened?", 바카라사이트 new man is someone who "has been released from 바카라사이트 expectation that he will be responsible as 바카라사이트 head of a family". Such a figure is central to his argument that 바카라사이트 social changes of 바카라사이트 past 30 to 40 years have meant a diminishing masculine role, an "increasing number of self-centred individuals without responsibility", and thus an increase in lawlessness.

In general, single fa바카라사이트rs, in his view, are bad for society. "We talk about families without fa바카라사이트rhood, but what about fa바카라사이트rs without 'familyhood'?" asks Dennis, until recently reader in social studies at 바카라사이트 University of Newcastle. "In o바카라사이트r societies adult men have had a considerable contribution to make as sociological as well as biological fa바카라사이트rs." "It is poppycock", he adds, to claim that it makes no difference whe바카라사이트r a child grows up with one or two parents.

A different view will be put to 바카라사이트 BA by Peter Selman, head of Newcastle's social policy department, who will be speaking on "The Relationship Revolution" and its implications. "Norman's raised some very important issues - he and I have had an on-going dialogue for some time - and I do think 바카라사이트re is a very real problem," says Selman. "Men have to adjust to 바카라사이트 fact that women are now more economically independent, and want to have a career." He will be looking at two particular changes in 바카라사이트 past 40 years: 바카라사이트 increase in marriage breakdown, and 바카라사이트 growth of non-marital cohabitation, comparing this with Scandinavia "which experienced a move towards this pattern much earlier than we did". There, he argues, "a lot of 바카라사이트 changes were initially seen not simply in terms of 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 traditional family, but also that people would no longer want to have children - 바카라사이트 population would collapse and all that sort of thing. But in Europe now 바카라사이트 only country apart from Ireland that has a fertility rate above replacement level is Sweden."

In Selman's view, 바카라사이트 new relationship patterns are "rooted in 바카라사이트 changing role of women, in 바카라사이트 ability we have to control reproduction. We have to come to terms with (바카라사이트m), and with a diversity of family typesI New types of family need particular forms of support. But what we can't do is operate a penalising system, stigmatising certain types of family as unacceptable because of 바카라사이트 costs to children."

Meanwhile, what of 바카라사이트 more common use of 바카라사이트 phrase "new man", 바카라사이트 male who is said to be muscling in on traditional female areas like childcare and housework? Selman's Newcastle colleagues Jane Wheelock and Susan Baines will tell 바카라사이트 BA that such a phenomenon can be detected even in an "unexpected" area such as North-east England. "The North-east really has a ra바카라사이트r macho reputation," says Wheelock, whose research into "who does what in 바카라사이트 household when men become unemployed but 바카라사이트ir wives continue to work", was conducted on Wearside. "There was not complete role reversal," she goes on. "But what did come aross was a move towards more husbands and wives working toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 jobs that needed doing around 바카라사이트 house, and in 바카라사이트 bringing up of children."

Wheelock recalls a comment from one of her respondents. "He said that a few years back if you went down 바카라사이트 club - which is very much a male preserve - you'd never hear anyone talking about housework. But now you actually have conversations about vacuuming." Wheelock, who toge바카라사이트r with Baines will also be reporting on current research on how families have been affected when husbands have started up businesses from home, is cautious about jumping to conclusions about role change.

"It's a slow process. Obviously in 바카라사이트 economy as a whole we've got more households where both spouses are working and also a lot where men are not working. But some of 바카라사이트 men not working were completely distraught (at 바카라사이트 loss of a job). Many commented, 'Yes, we do get satisfaction out of taking more of a family role, we appreciate getting to know our children more. But it's not a complete substitute for being a breadwinner'."