ABSTRACT
Between the early 20th century and the interwar period in the United States, the relationship between the woman question and political economy started to become better defined into a determined research field: home economics. In fact, household economics covered the economic analysis of all decision makers within a family concerning consumption, savings, and allocation of time in labor or leisure. In the 1970s some criticism against the new home economics emerged. Major critiques of the new home economics were based mainly on the rejection of neoclassical assumptions, according to which households are able to make rational decisions while allocating resources and time. During the interwar period, household economics emerged as a partially new research field at the University of Chicago. In Chicago M. Talbot became assistant professor of sanitary science, then professor of household administration, and between 1895 and 1925 she served as dean of the newly created Department of Household Administration.
