ABSTRACT
Domestic space is conceptually significant because it is often assumed to be the backdrop for activities associated with mothering. Here the concept of domestic space is defined and discussed so that the reader can explore the material and discursive production of mothering, mothers, and motherhood in space and place. Domestic spaces are an important part of understanding the social construction of motherhood in relation to gender, race, class, and sexuality. The question of whether and how domestic spaces confine mothers or have liberatory potential is broached. Related concepts such as the home are referenced through symbolic and literal examples of how people in different times and places have created domestic spaces. The chapter takes up the concept of domestic space as defined in the fields of feminist geography and critical motherhood studies with reference to other relevant literature and a focus on Western societies. Suggested further readings are provided.
