ABSTRACT
Why is it accepted as fair, equitable, and just, in many contexts, that the pursuit of profit should be considered more important than people and families? Why is a gendered division of labor, rewards, and constraints at home and in the workplace often considered to be fair? Why is it sometimes considered unfair for new parents to take time off from work for family reasons? Under what circumstances do people contest working practices that disadvantage employees with family responsibilities? How can governments and organizations help challenge and change what are perceived to be fair allocations of work and family responsibilities and equitable working practices? In this chapter, we argue that social justice theory can be used effectively to answer important questions such as these, concerning progress toward the gender equitable integration of work and family in advanced industrialized societies.
