Carrie Yodanis

We examine whether institutionalized practices and beliefs regarding breadwinning roles are associated with the choice of more or less equal money management strategies in marriage. Using cross‐national data from 21 country contexts in the International Social Survey Programme and multilevel modeling, we find that in contexts of shared breadwinning, there is a greater likelihood of shared management of money, controlling for the relative income contribution of each spouse. We also find some evidence that the effect of spouses’ relative income contributions diminishes in contexts of shared breadwinning. Our analysis comparing women’s and men’s money management is consistent with previous research indicating that women’s management may be more work than power.

The role of the au pair as outlined in the 1969 Council of Europe's European Agreement on ‘Au Pair’ Placement is ambiguous. Although they provide child care for pay, au pairs are supposed to be treated as members of the host family. Based on in-depth interviews with au pairs in Switzerland and France, this paper examines how au pairs define their role. Results show how au pairs’ definitions of their roles vary and are constructed through interactions within the host family. The au pair's definition of her role is constructed through work and non-work dyadic interactions with the host mother. The relationship between mother and the au pair does not happen in isolation, however but is shaped by the intimate relationship between the host mother and host father. The triadic relationship between the au pair, host mother, and host father further shapes how the au pair defines and experiences her role.