Blurred boundaries : women's work and leisure : task allocation and ultimate responsibility while on a family camping holiday : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology at Massey University

Abstract

It used to be quite relaxing when it was just Keith and I. Like it was "Let's go for a swim." "Let's read a book." "Let's do nothing." But now it is, whenever it is a nice day, get up and have breakfast....do the washing and I make the beds, sweep out the tent and tidy it up. Using data from participant observations and in-depth interviews, this study focuses on domestic division of labour tasks and responsibilities associated with the family camping holiday. While men help, women perform the vast majority of tasks because patriarchal ideology decrees that the responsibility for domestic tasks, even while on holiday, is women's. Although this working while at leisure results in gender inequality of both labour and leisure time, the women enjoy camping holidays. Such enjoyment is partly attributed to the holiday providing increased opportunities to nurture relationships and to it reducing the pace and standards of work. Using the concept of hegemony it is shown that the family camping holiday reproduces and reinforces patriarchal ideology. This study suggests that such holidays provides an opportunity to initiate a change towards equality of domestic division of labour and leisure.